LAREDO, Texas — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized more than $984,000 worth of cocaine in two separate incidents over the weekend.
Homeland Security Investigations special agents arrested two Mexican citizens following the seizures, which took place on Friday and Saturday.
The first seizure occurred Friday, June 12, at the Colombia-Solidarity Bridge in Laredo. A CBP officer sent a 2020 Nissan Frontier pickup driven by a 56-year-old male Mexican citizen for a secondary inspection. After a canine and nonintrusive inspection system examination, officers found 20 packages hidden inside the vehicle. The packages contained a total of 50.75 pounds of suspected cocaine with an estimated street value of $677,617.
The second seizure happened Saturday, June 13, at the Camino Real Bridge in Eagle Pass. An officer referred a 2015 Toyota Camry driven by a 53-year-old male Mexican citizen for a secondary examination. A nonintrusive inspection system examination revealed 13 packages hidden within the vehicle. The packages held 22.97 pounds of suspected cocaine with an estimated street value of $306,723.
CBP seized the narcotics and both vehicles. Special agents are currently investigating both cases.
“These back-to-back cocaine seizures at different ports of entry within the Laredo Field Office area of responsibility underscore not only the reality of the drug threat we face daily, but our officers’ keen ability to apply inspection experience and technology to take down these drug loads,” Donald R. Kusser, director of field operations for the Laredo Field Office, said in a statement.