U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers stationed at the Brownsville Port of Entry seized nearly $650,000 worth of drugs in two separate incidents.
The first seizure occurred Monday at the Veterans International Bridge when a 21-year-old Brownsville woman applied for entry into the United States driving a 2007 Dodge, CBP said in a press release.
The vehicle was referred to CBP secondary for further examination after a primary inspection. In secondary, with the aid of a non-intrusive imaging system and a canine unit, CBP officers discovered 20 packages hidden within the 2007 Dodge. CBP officers removed the packages, which contained a total of 49.25 pounds of alleged cocaine, the release said. The cocaine has an estimated street value of $379,780.
The second seizure also occurred on Monday at the Gateway International Bridge when a 56-year-old Brownsville man applied for entry into the United States driving a 2007 Chevrolet.
The vehicle was referred to CBP secondary for further examination after a primary inspection. In secondary, with the aid of a non-intrusive imaging system and a canine unit, CBP officers discovered 15 packages hidden within the 2007 Chevrolet. CBP officers removed the packages, which contained a total of 34.43 pounds of alleged cocaine, the release said. The cocaine seized in this incident has an estimated street value of $265,540.
CBP officers seized the narcotics and vehicles, arrested the travelers, and turned them over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations special agents for further investigation.
“Our CBP officers used the available enforcement tools along with their experience and skills while conducting their inspections and were able to intercept these dangerous narcotics,” said Port Director Tater Ortiz, Brownsville Port of Entry.
