Texas Woman Uses Infant Child to Smuggle Meth From Mexico

A woman attempted to smuggle methamphetamine into Texas from Mexico by hiding the drugs under her clothing and those of her infant child. The discovery was made by Federal officers working at the Brownsville Port of Entry from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Elsewhere on the Texas border with Mexico, an additional $500,000 worth of methamphetamine and cocaine were seized in a separate smuggling attempt.

“It is unfortunate that someone would allegedly use their child to attempt to smuggle dangerous narcotics into the country,” Brownsville Port of Entry Port Director Petra Horne said in a written statement obtained by Breitbart Texas. “This important seizure was due to the keen observation of our officers.”

The 19-year-old U.S. citizen was attempting to re-enter the U.S. from Matamoros. She applied for entry at the Gateway International Bridge on Wednesday with her infant child. She was attempting to cross into Texas using the pedestrian lane but was referred to a secondary inspection station. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers discovered four packages of drugs hidden under her clothing. The officers then checked the infant child and found two additional packages of drugs hidden under the baby’s clothing.

The woman, a Brownsville, Texas, resident, was traveling with a 19-year-old male who is also a U.S. citizen. He was also taken into custody by CBP officers.

The packages of drugs weighed 7.1 pounds. Officials estimated the value to be $141,976.

The man and the woman were arrested by CBP officers and turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) for investigation and possible prosecution. The meth was seized as evidence. The status of the infant was not reported in the statement.

CBP officers working at the Laredo Columbia-Solidarity Bridge referred the driver of a Honda Element to a secondary inspection for a routine check. The Honda was driven by a 40-year-old Mexican national, according to information obtained by Breitbart Texas from CBP officials.

Using technology, a K-9 officer and physical search, the officers discovered eighteen packages of what they would later test as being methamphetamine. They also found two additional packages containing cocaine. The 18 packages of meth weighed in at 32.76 pounds. The packages of cocaine weighed 4.76 pounds. Officials estimated the combined drug seizure to be valued at $494,914.

The vehicle and the drugs were seized by CBP officials. Officers arrested the driver who was subsequently turned over to ICE-HSI agents for further investigation and possible prosecution.

“Our officers utilized their experience-honed inspection skills and seized a combination drug load at Colombia-Solidarity Bridge,” Laredo Port of Entry Port Director Gregory Alvarez said in the written statement. “The significant summer heat does not deter our officers from doing their job to keep our border safe.”

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.