Texas Woman Caught Crossing U.S. Border with 55 Pounds of Heroin, Say Feds

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested a Texas woman after finding $1.5 million in heroin in her Volkswagon Jetta as she attempted to enter the United States. The arrest followed an attempted border crossing at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge.

CBP officers assigned to the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge on May 17 observed a woman approaching for entry into the U.S. while driving a Volkswagen Jetta, according to information obtained from U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials. The officers referred the woman to a secondary inspection station where a K-9 alerted to an odor coming from the vehicle.

Llantas tóxicas: Oficiales de #CBP en Puente Internacional de Pharr, #Texas incautan 55 libras de heroína oculta en las llantas de un vehículo. Chofer arrestada. Más detalles: https://t.co/rPnqUmaaXj pic.twitter.com/pKuYA1zmPW

— CBP South Texas (@CBPSouthTexas) May 19, 2021

The officers conducted a physical search of the Jetta and found 24 packages of drugs hidden inside the woman’s tires. The team tested the drugs and identified them as heroin packages.

Officials report the 55 pounds of heroin to have an estimated street value of $1,500,000. The officers seized the vehicle and the drugs.

Officers arrested the driver and identified her as a resident of nearby Edinburg, Texas. They turned the woman and the drugs over to ICE Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation and preparation of drug smuggling charges.

“Our officers’ relentless dedication to CBP’s border security mission and robust enforcement posture contributed to the detection of these hard narcotics that will now be prevented from possibly inflicting harm within our communities,” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Port of Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas in a written statement.