Border Patrol Agents Seize $530K Cocaine at International Bridges in Two Separate Field Operations
Agents of the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry seized during their enforcement actions not less than $530,000 worth of alleged cocaine in two separate incidents.
Intercepted at the Bridges
According to News 4 San Antonio, Port Director Carlos Rodriguez of Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry stated that CBP officers were ensuring that everything that enters in the U.S. did not include drugs. Rodriguez stated that despite the ongoing COVID pandemic, drug smugglers and traffickers continue to attempt to move narcotics through various ports of entry.
Moreover, Rodriguez stated that agents of CBP remain vigilant and utilized their experience and the latest technology in their inspections to disrupt the attempts of drug traffickers, San Angelo Live reported. The port director added that the success of two seizures illustrated the preparedness of CBP agents and the OFO.
Daily Border Operation
On July 16, 2021, a tractor trailer that came from Mexico in the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge cargo facility was assessed by CBP officers. The tractor trailer was driven by a 38 year-old-male Mexican. On the initial assessment after the vehicle arrived, a CBP officer referred the tractor trailer for further inspection; and after the agents physically inspected the tractor trailer, inspectors discovered 25 packages of alleged cocaine. The alleged drugs weighed 59.52 pounds or around 27 kilos concealed within the vehicle.
On the same day, in Mission, Texas' Anzalduas International Bridge, CBP officers encountered a silver Pontiac GT which was driven by a 34-year-old male U.S. citizen. The man also made his entry from Mexico. However, during a thorough examination, officers discovered four packages of alleged cocaine which weighed 9.34 pounds or 4.24 kilos. The recovered drugs were concealed within the vehicle to avoid being detected.
Meanwhile, CBP and OFO seized not only the narcotics, but also the tractor-trailer and the silver Pontiac GT. The drivers who tried to enter the border from Mexico with hidden drugs were arrested and would be facing cases after the investigation conducted by agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations or the ICE-HSI.
Interceptions at Laredo Port of Entry
Hard narcotics worth more than $1,400,000 in street value were seized by the CBP and the OFO agents in four separate and unrelated inspections.
Laredo Port of Entry's Port Director, Alberto Flores stated that CBP continued in securing the Nation's borders. Flores said that the narcotics seizures showed that CBP has implemented enforcement strategies that disrupted flow of the dangerous drugs which tried to enter the U.S.
During the four interceptions conducted by the officers from CBP and OFO, they have seized drugs with a combined street value of $1,432,165. Officers recovered fentanyl and methamphetamine in the four interceptions.
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This article is owned by Latin Post
Written by Jess Smith
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