U.S. Border Patrol agents in Laredo, Texas, in a single large-scale enforcement action last week, seized $18 million worth of methamphetamine being smuggled from Mexico in a semi-trailer truck.
In a press release issued this past weekend, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials said that the incident occurred on Tuesday, February 15, at the Pharr International Bridge. The bridge is located near the U.S.-Mexico border.
According to data from CBP, throughout the month of January, the agency seized over 48,000 pounds of alleged narcotics, across more than 6,000 drug seizure events. From October to January, the data shows that over 234,000 pounds of alleged narcotics have been seized.
Here’s what Laredo Port of Entry Director Alberto Flores said in a news release:
“Officers assigned to CBP cargo facilities ensure effective border security by preventing and countering the flow of suspected narcotics entering the country. Large-scale seizures, such as this one, provide an excellent example of border security management and how it helps prevent illicit contraband from reaching our communities.”
Announcing the massive seizure on Wednesday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said one of its officers at the World Trade Bridge, which connects Mexico to the United States over the Rio Grande, on Friday had referred a 2013 International trailer hauling a shipment of stainless-steel scrap for a secondary inspection. The trailer was driven by a 33-year-old male Mexican citizen arriving from Mexico.
Following a canine and non-intrusive imaging system examination, CBP officers discovered a total of 912.82 pounds of alleged methamphetamine within the trailer, according to the press release.
The narcotics have an estimated street value of $18,253,206. CBP seized the narcotics and the tractor.
Through the month of March, 2,472 pounds of fentanyl have been seized at the border, up 17% from this time last year. There were 9,870 pounds seized in all of 2021.
Fentanyl is the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18-45.
The Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking found that Mexico was a “dominant source” of fentanyl reaching the United States.
Ports of entry such as Brownsville, Texas, and Laredo have started using X-ray technology to root out drugs at the border.
Source: Breaking911