Federal officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized over $2.5 million in crystal meth and cocaine at the Texas border with Mexico in Laredo. The seizures took place in three separate incidents over a two-day period.
CBP officers working the Lincoln-Juarez Bridge in Laredo on Tuesday stopped a 1999 Chevrolet Cheyenne attempting to cross the bridge from Mexico. The driver, a 41-year-old Mexican national from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, was asked to move the vehicle to a secondary inspection station, information provided to Breitbart Texas by the CBP revealed.
A K-9 officer alerted to the scent of narcotics and officers conducted a “non-intrusive” inspection that revealed anomalies. Upon further inspection, the officers discovered two packages containing four pounds of cocaine. Officers estimated the street value of the cocaine to be about $435,020.
The following day, a 43-year-old Mexican citizen was attempting to cross the same bridge in a 2008 Kia Sorento. The woman, who resides in Victoria, Texas, was traveling with a 41-year-old Mexican citizen. Officers asked the woman to move her vehicle to a secondary inspection station where a K-9 officer alerted to the scent of narcotics. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of seventy-five pounds of crystal methamphetamine estimated to be worth $1,507,064.
The third drug seizure occurred on the same day at the World Trade Bridge. The World Trade Bridge is one of the primary commercial ports of entry for the region and is the location where GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump visited last year.
A 2014 International tractor, being driven by a 38-year-old Mexican national from Zamora, Mexico, was attempting to cross the bridge carrying a load of cargo. A non-intrusive inspection and K-9 search revealed two packages of crystal meth. Officers weighed the illegal drug and determined the fifty-three pounds of crystal meth to be worth approximately $1,067,908 on the streets.
The two-day effort by the CBP officers took an estimated $2,609,992 worth of drugs out of the hands of the cartel smuggling network. Drug smuggling in this region is primarily controlled by the Los Zetas cartel.
“Our frontline officers’ hard work and determination played a key role in the interceptions,” Laredo Port of Entry Port Director Gregory Alvarez said in a written statement. “These interceptions are truly indicative of our CBP officers’ commitment to the service.”
Bob Price serves as senior political news contributor and is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.
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