CBP Officers Seize over $700K in Cocaine and Methamphetamine at Texas Border Crossing

PHARR, Texas—U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Pharr International Bridge Cargo Facility intercepted $768,500 in alleged cocaine and methamphetamine in multiple incidents.

“The commercial environment continues to be an area where we experience a continued drug smuggling threat, as these seizures clearly illustrate,” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry. “Our frontline officers showed they could rise to the challenge and they employed an effective combination of inspection skill, experience and technology to make these interceptions.”

On Monday, Oct. 11, 2021, CBP officers assigned to the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility encountered a commercial tractor trailer, arriving from Mexico. A CBP officer referred the conveyance for further inspection, which included utilizing non-intrusive imaging (NII) equipment and screening by a (canine team). After physically inspecting the conveyance, officers discovered 20 packages of alleged cocaine weighing 49.95 pounds (22.66 kg) of alleged cocaine concealed within the tractor.

On Monday, Oct. 18, 2021, CBP officers assigned to the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility encountered a tractor trailer arriving from Mexico. A CBP officer referred the conveyance for further inspection, which included utilizing non-intrusive imaging (NII) equipment and screening by a (canine team). After physically inspecting the conveyance, officers discovered one package of alleged methamphetamine weighing 16.88 pounds (7.66 kg) concealed within the tractor.

Moments later, CBP officers assigned to the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility, encountered another tractor trailer, arriving from Mexico. A CBP officer referred the conveyance for further inspection, which included utilizing non-intrusive imaging (NII) equipment and screening by a (canine team). After physically inspecting the conveyance, officers discovered eight packages of alleged cocaine weighing 19.04 pounds (8.64 kg) concealed within the tractor.

CBP OFO seized the narcotics and vehicles, and the cases remain under investigation by agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI).