U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in the Rio Grande Valley seized nearly 175 pounds of methamphetamine and cocaine at a Texas port of entry. The seizures came in two failed drug-trafficking events at the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge.
CBP officers assigned to the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge on October 30 observed a Toyota Sequoia approaching for entry into the United States, according to information recently released by CBP officials in South Texas. The officers referred the driver to a secondary inspection area for further investigation.
A secondary inspection led to the discovery of 24 packages of drugs, officials reported. Officers test the drugs and identified them as 1167.77 pounds of methamphetamine. The drug shipment has an estimated street value of $3,355,500, officials reported.
Officers arrested the driver, a 23-year-old male Legal Permanent Resident living in Edinburg, Texas. They seized the drugs and the vehicle.
A second incident occurred on the same bridge the following day, officials reported. Officer observed a Hyundai Elantra approaching from Mexico for entry into the U.S. Officers referred the driver, a 62-year-old female U.S. citizen from Rio Grande City, Texas, to the secondary inspection area.
A search of her vehicle led to the discovery of three packages containing cocaine. Officials weighed the drugs at 7.14 pounds and reported the estimated street value to be about $55,000.
CBP officers utilized non-intrusive imaging systems and K-9s trained to detect drugs to screen the vehicles prior to physical inspections.
“These are great interceptions of hard narcotics that our officers accomplished due to outstanding teamwork, resiliency and commitment towards our mission of keeping dangerous drugs from crossing our border and entering into our communities,” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry.
CBP officers turned both subjects and the drugs over to ICE Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation into drug trafficking charges.
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 What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX, Parler @BobPrice, and Facebook.
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