U.S. Customs and Border Protection Seizes $7.3 Million Worth of Cocaine at the Port of Miami

Miami – On May 29, Customs and Border Protection officers at the Miami Seaport discovered approximately 459 pounds of cocaine hidden in a container at the Port of Miami. While inspecting containers at the Miami seaport CBP officers identified suspect suspicious boxes in a container which a CBP canine subsequently alerted to for the presence of narcotics.

The officers proceeded to examine the entire container and discovered 169 bricks of cocaine hidden within eight cardboard boxes. One of the bricks was tested by the officers and the substance tested positive for cocaine. The case is still under investigation and no arrests made at this time.

The container arrived in Miami aboard a freighter from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and originated in Panama. The ship also made stops in Colombia and Mexico.

“Every single day the men and women of Customs and Border Protection work diligently to protect our borders and to prevent the importation of contraband through our ports of entry. Customs and Border Protection at the Port of Miami also works very closely with our law enforcement and security partners to disrupt and ultimately close off pathways through which narcotics are introduced into the United States,” said Diane Sabatino, CBP Miami Seaport Port Director.

“This is an outstanding example of the excellent work being performed by our officers in stemming the flow of illegal narcotics into the United States. I commend the effort and dedication demonstrated by our frontline officers in securing our borders,” said CBP Director of Field Operations Vernon Foret.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.