U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized nearly 165 pounds of methamphetamine from a passenger vehicle attempting to cross the border from Mexico into South Texas.
CBP officers assigned to the Anzalduas International Bridge near Mission, Texas, observed a Chevy Suburban approaching from Mexico for entry into the United States on November 30. Officers selected the Suburban for a secondary inspection, according to information obtained from Office of Field Operations officials.
A search with a non-intrusive imaging system revealed anomalies leading officers to carry out a physical search of the SUV. During the physical search, officers found 24 packages filled with drugs hidden in the tires of the Suburban. Officials reported the drugs to be methamphetamine. The shipment weighed 164 pounds, officials stated. They placed the estimated street value of the contraband at more than $3.2 million.
“Our officers intercepted these hard narcotics due to great observational techniques and the commitment to the CBP mission of keeping dangerous drugs out of our communities,” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Port of Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas in a written statement.
CBP officers seized a record quantity of methamphetamine during Fiscal Year 2020 which ended on September 30, according to the latest CBP Enforcement Statistics report. The seizure of 156,901 pounds of methamphetamine at ports of entry into the United States represents an increase of more than 23 percent over FY19 and more than 153 percent over FY18.
During the first month of FY21, CBP officers seized an additional 21,203 pounds of the illicit drug.
Fentanyl seizures are also way up for the fifth year in a row. Seizures jumped from 2,575 pounds in FY19 to 3,967 pounds in FY2020. During the first month of FY21, officers seized more than 1,000 pounds of the deadly drug.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s Sunday-morning talk show, What’s Your Point? Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX, Parler @BobPrice, and Facebook.