BROWNSVILLE, Texas — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Brownsville and Matamoros International Bridge seized approximately 22 pounds of suspected cocaine — with an estimated street value of $294,948 — from a vehicle during a secondary inspection, according to the agency.
According to CBP, the seizure took place on Tuesday, July 7. Officers referred a 2016 Nissan, driven by a 20-year-old female U.S. citizen who resides in Brownsville, to secondary inspection after a primary inspection at the bridge, the agency said. In secondary, with the aid of a detector canine and a nonintrusive imaging system, officers discovered nine packages containing approximately 22.09 pounds of suspected cocaine hidden within the vehicle, according to CBP.
CBP seized the narcotics and the vehicle, according to the agency. Homeland Security Investigations special agents opened a criminal investigation, CBP said. The driver was not named in the release and is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
“Through unwavering vigilance and relentless effort, our officers successfully intercepted this load of dangerous narcotics, preventing them from reaching our communities,” Port Director Tater Ortiz of the Brownsville Port of Entry said in a statement.
CBP said the seizure was carried out as part of the agency’s ongoing enforcement efforts. The agency added that under the Trump administration, DHS and CBP have worked to stop narcotics from entering U.S. communities and to strengthen border enforcement.
Anyone with information about suspicious activity at ports of entry can report it to CBP by calling 1-800-635-2509.
Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection
