Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents in Texas recently made a massive drug seizure when they busted the driver of a tractor trailer trying to enter the United States with $4.1 million worth of cocaine. The driver and the contraband were both turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration following the seizure.
The drug seizure occurred on March 29 at approximately 8:40 p.m. at the I-35 Checkpoint in Laredo when a Border Patrol agent received consent to proceed the tractor-trailer through the Multi-Energy Portal (MEP) for further inspection. The MEP was added to the I-35 Border Patrol Checkpoint in July of 2024.
After physically inspecting the vehicle and utilizing a canine team, Border Patrol agents discovered and extracted 51 packages of alleged cocaine weighing 129.86 pounds concealed within the vehicle. The seized narcotics had an estimated street value of $4.1 million.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, “The MEP is an x-ray machine that is used to enhance inspections of commercial vehicles through heavy shielding, thus providing a safe and expedited examination. The system is able to scan more than 150 containers per hour in the typical flow of traffic at the checkpoint.”
Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents seize $4M of cocaine at the I-35 Checkpoint, read more 👉https://t.co/aR1grDlbpv@USBPChiefLRT @CBP @USBPChief #LaredoSector pic.twitter.com/Jb8UtlFLe4
— CBP South Texas (@CBPSouthTexas) April 1, 2025
This drug seizure at the I-35 Checkpoint in Laredo, Texas follows other several other large cocaine seizures in the state of Texas, including $2.4 million worth of meth that was hidden in a shipment of Persian limes at the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility, over $20 milion in liquid meth being smuggled in mineral water bottles, and $6.2 million worth of cocaine hidden in rolls of plastic wrap.
It also comes on the heels of the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) working with several other national agencies to take down a “narco-sub” in the Atlantic Ocean near Portugal carrying nearly 6,500 kilos, or almost 7.2 tons of cocaine.