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Whoops, they did it again. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in Texas made another eye-popping drug seizure. This time they confiscated more than $23 million in alleged meth concealed within a tractor-trailer hauling a shipment of papayas.
The massive drug seizure took place last week at the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility. It was there that CBP Office of Field Operations officers encountered a commercial tractor-trailer attempting to make entry into the United States from Mexico, supposedly hauling nothing more innocuous than a shipment of papayas.
Fortunately, a CBP officer referred the tractor-trailer for secondary inspection, which included the utilization of non-intrusive inspection equipment and a canine team. That led to a further physical examination of the vehicle by the federal agents who discovered 384 packages of alleged meth weighing a total of 2,571.69 pounds hidden inside the shipment. CBP reports that the seized drugs had an estimated street value of $23,647,288.
“This massive methamphetamine seizure reflects the dangerous reality of the drug threat our officers face every day and the effective utilization of experience and technology to zero-in and take down these loads,” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry.
The drugs and the commercial tractor-trailer were both seized by Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations officers, while special agents with Homeland Security Investigations took over investigation of the case.
CBP
Drug smugglers will often attempt to conceal large shipments of meth and other illegal drugs inside shipments of food. Last month, also at the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility, officers found and seized methamphetamine worth over $6.7 million concealed inside a shipment of tomatillos.
Tomatillos are one of the more common food items smugglers like to utilize in their attempts to bring drugs into the United States. Criminals have also tried concealing their drugs inside shipments of lettuce, cucumbers and bell peppers, limes, squash, and even bags of Cheetos.