Hidalgo, Texas — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Hidalgo/Pharr International Bridges seized approximately 129.5 pounds of cocaine in four separate and unrelated narcotic seizures. The combined estimated street value of the cocaine is $4,146,000.
On October 15, 2011 CBP officers working at the Hidalgo International Bridge came in contact with a northbound 2000 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck driven by a Mexican national, age 42, from Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico. A CBP officer referred the vehicle and male driver to secondary for further inspection. In secondary, officers seized 10 packages of alleged cocaine weighing 27 pounds that were found hidden with a compartment behind the back seat. The estimated street value of the cocaine is approximately $770,375.
Later during the same day on a separate unrelated seizure, CBP officers working at the Hidalgo International Bridge referred a Mexican registered taxi cab and a male passenger to secondary for further inspection. In secondary, the passenger was identified as a Mexican national from Tulanzingo, Hidalgo, Mexico. In an ice chest belonging to the traveler, CBP officers found and seized six packages of alleged cocaine. The cocaine weight of 13.9 pounds has an estimated street value of $44,590.
On October 16, 2011, a CBP officer at the Pharr/Reynosa International Bridge referred a 2009 Mazda CX-7 SUV and its occupants to secondary for further inspection. In secondary, the male driver and female passenger were both identified as Mexican nationals, ages 24 and 21 from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. In secondary, CBP officers seized 20 packages of alleged cocaine that were found hidden within the dashboard area of the vehicle. The 47 pounds of cocaine has an estimated street value of $1,510,000.
Hours later on the same date, CBP officers working at the Pharr International Bridge encountered a northbound 2008 Mazda CX-7, SUV and its occupants, two Mexican male nationals, ages 23 and 32 and a Mexican female, age 21, all from Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico.
A CBP officer referred the vehicle and male driver to secondary for further inspection. In secondary, officers seized 20 packages of alleged cocaine weighing 41 pounds that were found hidden within the vehicle. The estimated street value of the cocaine is $1,325,000.
CBP officers seized three vehicles and transferred five male and two female travelers to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigation for further investigation.
“This was a busy weekend as far as narcotic seizures and our officers, as always, met the challenge of intercepting these hard narcotics and keeping them from entering our country,” said Port Director Efrain Solis Jr. “I commend our frontline officers for a job well done.”
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.
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