This article was originally published by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Hidalgo and Anzalduas International Bridges arrested three persons after discovering $2,982,000 worth of alleged cocaine and methamphetamine concealed within the vehicles they were driving.
“These interceptions of hard narcotics coincide with the current trend involving mostly methamphetamine being smuggled into our country,” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Port of Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas. “People must realize that there are consequences for getting involved in these type of activities.”
On Aug. 13, 2020, a CBP officer at the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge referred a 21-year-old man from Palmview, Texas in a 2014 Dodge Avenger for a secondary examination. Officers conducting the inspection located 10 packages weighing 27.65 pounds (12.54 kg) of alleged cocaine that have a street value of $213,000 hidden within the vehicle.
On Aug. 12, a 39-year-old woman, legal resident from Houston, Texas arrived at the Anzalduas International Bridge driving a 2011 Ford Explorer and a CBP officer referred her for further inspection. Utilizing non-intrusive imaging (NII) equipment as part of the secondary inspection, officers discovered 24 packages of alleged methamphetamine weighing 126 pounds (57.20 kg) hidden within the vehicle’s tires. These narcotics are valued at $2,522,000.
Hours later at the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge, a 24-year-old female U.S. citizen from Mission, Texas arrived in a 2009 Cadillac CTS and was referred for a secondary inspection, which resulted in the discovery of five packages of alleged methamphetamine concealed within the car. These narcotics weighed 12.35 pounds (5.6 kg) and have a street value of $247,000.
CBP OFO seized all the narcotics along with the vehicles and arrested the three vehicle drivers, who were turned over to the custody of agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) who continue with the investigations.
