Car Crash Leads to Discovery of Over $3M Worth of Cocaine
The supposed rescue after a two-vehicle crash in the South Texas area was turned into a seizure after authorities discovered more than $3 million worth of cocaine was found inside one of the vehicles, authorities confirmed Thursday, June 3.
The driver of the BMW, later turned himself into the deputies of Starr County and currently faces drug possession charges.
According to NBC News, the Texas Department of Safety shared after the crash on a state route west of Rio Grande City, they have discovered the drugs. They have found 70 bundles of cocaine that were concealed inside three burlap bags in the back of a BMW.
Based on the department's initial estimate, the bags that weighed a total of 180 pounds are worth more than $3.3 million.
Meanwhile, the driver of the BMW was not identified in the statement of the Department of Safety. The department was requested more details Thursday night but they did not immediately respond. Also, a representative from the sheriff's office could not be immediately reached.
The accident occured close to the U.S.-Mexico border, but in the state's department of public safety statement, they did not mention where the drugs are believed to have originated from.
While it is still not clear whether the seized drugs on Monday originated in the U.S. or abroad, a report of the Drug Enforcement Administration mentioned that Mexican criminal organization is currently dominating the wholesale distribution of cocaine across the U.S. while Colombian drug groups are controlling its supply and production.
Drugs in Texas Border Crossing
Last week, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers intercepted more than $3.5 million of drugs in two separate seizures at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge.
According to a CBP, their first seizure happened on May 26 after they have inspected a 2000 Chevrolet driven by a 29-year-old U.S. citizen male who arrived from Mexico.They have found three packages containing more than 167 pounds of suspected methamphetamine concealed within the man's vehicle.
The second seizure occured later the same day when officers discovered a total of 14 packages containing more than 21 pounds of suspected cocaine that were concealed within a 2007 Toyota Tundra. The 23-year-old male driver, who is a U.S. citizen, was also returning from Mexico.
The estimated street value of the combined seizure totaled $3,510,664 and both drivers were arrested after CBP officers confiscated the narcotics and both vehicles.
Texas County Coast
Law enforcement in a coastal Texas county are asking beachgoers to avoid picking up any suspicious items that they can found in the water after several packages of cocaine were washed ashore in recent days.
Based on the Sheriff's Office of Matagorda County, around 50 kilos or 110 pounds of drugs have washed ashored in the past week. Authorities did not name an exact area where did the drugs were washed up, but the Matagorda County is on the Gulf of Mexico in between Galveston and Corpus Christi, ABC News reported.
WATCH: More than $3 million in cocaine discovered after South Texas car crash from- Great News
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