CBP Officers in Brownsville Seize Nearly $1.1 Million in Drugs at Border Entry

May 4, 2010 - Brownsville, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Brownsville, Texas port of entry seized methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana valued at approximately $1,087,700 in three recent enforcement actions.

At the Brownsville and Matamoros International Bridge Wednesday a CBP officer’s primary inspection of a red 1999 Dodge Dakota resulted in the male driver, a 33-year-old, Mexican citizen and resident of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico and the vehicle being referred to secondary. Closer examination of the Dodge resulted in the discovery of 11 packages of cocaine hidden within the Dakota. The packages from the vehicle had a combined weight of 27.6 pounds.

The second case at same bridge Friday resulted when a CBP officer working at primary came in contact with a 1999 Dodge Intrepid driven by a 24-year-old male U.S. citizen who resides in Brownsville, Texas. A CBP officer’s primary inspection resulted in the Dodge and its driver being referred to secondary for further examination. At secondary, CBP officers discovered 32 packages hidden within the Intrepid. The 32 packages contained marijuana with a total weight of 93.5 pounds.

In a third case, also occurred Friday when officers encountered a passenger in a northbound taxi. The passenger, identified as a 39-year-old Mexican citizen and resident of Athens, Ga. was referred along with the taxi to CBP secondary for further examination. A secondary inspection of the traveler’s belongings by CBP officers resulted in the discovery of four packages hidden within the walls of an ice chest. The four packages contained a total of 7.4 pounds of methamphetamine.

The cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine from these seizures have an estimated street value of approximately $1,087,700. CBP officers turned the narcotics, the drivers, passenger and the vehicles over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents for further investigation.

“As guardians of our nation’s borders, Brownsville’s CBP officers continue do an outstanding job in keeping dangerous narcotics from coming into our country,” said Michael Freeman, CBP port director, Brownsville. “I congratulate our officers for these interceptions and for the great job they do each day in combating the illicit drug trade.”