CBP Officers at Hidalgo-Pharr International Bridges Seize $3.4 Million in Cocaine, Marijuana

Hidalgo and Pharr, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Hidalgo and Pharr International Bridges seized 103.9 pounds of cocaine and 92.3 pounds of marijuana in three separate and unrelated enforcement actions. The estimated combined street value of the two cocaine seizures is $3.3 million while the lone marijuana load is valued at $73,862.

On June 5, CBP officers working at the Hidalgo International Bridge came in contact with a northbound 1999 Nissan Sentra sedan. The male driver was identified as a 73-year-old Mexican citizen from San Nicolas De Los Garza, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. A CBP officer referred the vehicle and driver to secondary for further inspection. In secondary, officers seized 39 marijuana packages that were found hidden within the Sentra sedan.

On June 7, CBP officers working at the Pharr International Bridge came in contact with a northbound 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass sedan. The male driver was identified as a 38-year-old Mexican citizen from Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Officers referred the vehicle and driver to secondary for further inspection. In secondary, officers seized 17 cocaine packages that were found hidden within the Cutlass sedan. In this action, the cocaine weighed 46.8 pounds and was valued at $1.5 million.

On the same date, Pharr CBP officers came in contact with northbound 1996 Buick Regal sedan. The female driver was identified as a 49-year-old Mexican citizen from Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico. CBP officers referred the vehicle and driver to secondary for further inspection. In secondary, officers seized 22 cocaine packages that were found hidden within the vehicle. In this action, the cocaine weighed 57 pounds and was valued at $1.8 million.

CBP officers seized all three vehicles and drugs. The two male and one female travelers were transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for further investigation.

Hector A. Mancha, CBP port director, Hidalgo-Pharr said, “I commend our frontline officers for their roles in seizing and preventing these three drug loads from entering our country and communities.” Mancha further said, “These actions represent the work our officers do to secure our nation’s borders.”