Federal authorities seized more than 1,500 pounds of cocaine hidden inside a tractor-trailer supposedly carrying a shipment of baby wipes. The bust was one of several large batches intercepted by authorities at the Texas border in recent days.
The case took place late last week at the Colombia port of entry, west of Laredo. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, officers at the port of entry referred a tractor-trailer to a secondary inspection.
CBP officers used a drug-sniffing dog and imaging system to find more than 1,900 packages of cocaine hidden within the baby wipe shipment. According to CBP, the cocaine has an estimated value of $11,818,400.
Four days later, CBP officers seized 718 pounds of cocaine also hidden in a tractor-trailer. The seizure took place on Tuesday at the World Trade Bridge on the western side of Laredo, an agency statement revealed. Authorities found 285 packages which had a cumulative weight of 718 pounds, valued at $5,535,880.
Late Summer Snowstorm: @DFOLaredo #CBP officers seize two more significant cocaine loads valued at nearly $8M at Laredo Port of Entry. More than $19M this week. @HSI_SanAntonio is investigating. Read more: https://t.co/wWfKkeWVSU pic.twitter.com/G1RPQUb7Wu
— CBP South Texas (@CBPSouthTexas) September 1, 2022
Hours later, authorities had another large seizure when CBP officers stopped a trailer carrying steel coils. Officers were able to find 270 pounds of cocaine with a street value of $2,084,200.
“Within a four-day span, our frontline CBP officers at Laredo Port of Entry seized a total of three significant loads of cocaine in the cargo environment; more than $19 million in cocaine in three separate interceptions,” said CBP Laredo’s Port Director Alberto Flores in a prepared statement. “These seizures perfectly illustrate our officers’ firm resolve to uphold our border security mission and keep our community safe.”
Luisana Moreno is a contributing writer for Breitbart Texas.
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