Federal authorities in Laredo, Texas, seized over $1 million worth of crystal methamphetamine during a cross border smuggling attempt on Tuesday.
Officers working for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Service in Laredo asked an American citizen returning from Mexico to move his vehicle to a secondary inspection station. The driver, a Laredo resident, drove his 2008 Pontiac G6 to the designated spot for the inspection, according to a CBP statement obtained by Breitbart Texas.
During the inspection of the vehicle and the man’s personal belongings, a CBP K9 officer alerted to the scent of narcotics. Officers began a more thorough inspection at that point and discovered 53 pounds of crystal methamphetamine. The drugs were hidden in candles being transported by the driver who was not identified in the statement.
Officers valued the shipment of the hard narcotic at $1,069,671.
The vehicle and the drugs were seized by federal officials. The driver was arrested and turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. These federal agents will conduct a further investigation and refer the case to the U.S. Department of Justice for prosecution.
“This was an excellent interception effected by our CBP officers,” acting Laredo Port of Entry Port Director Alberto Flores said in the written statement. “This seizure demonstrates how the officer’s training and attention to detail led to the discovery of this hard narcotic.”
On Thursday, Breitbart Texas reported on another large drug seizure in Laredo. Officers at the World Trade Bridge discovered over a ton of marijuana being smuggled into the U.S. on a truck loaded with bug infested wooden pallets. That shipment was valued at $557,675 by CBP officials.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas and is a member of the original Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.
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