Texas Border Protection officers seize over $50M in meth being smuggled into US
2 separate meth seizures in Brownsville, Texas, led to arrests of American citizen, Mexican national
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Border Protection officers in Texas busted an American citizen attempting to haul $1.5 million in methamphetamine into the U.S. last week, just days after intercepting a Mexican national smuggling 1.2 tons – or $48 million – of the illicit drug, authorities said.
The latest seizure happened on Thursday at the Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville when a 44-year-old woman applied for entry into the U.S., U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Monday.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The woman, a U.S. citizen from Brownsville, was driving a 2008 Ford pickup. During an inspection of the vehicle, CBP officers discovered 24 packages hidden inside the truck.
The packages contained 76.5 pounds of alleged methamphetamine – an estimated street value of $1,530,874, the agency said.
A U.S. citizen was caught on Thursday with 24 packages containing methamphetamine, pictured left, worth about $1,530,874. Pictured right, are some of the 62 buckets containing methamphetamine worth about $48,898,072 that a Mexican national attempted to smuggle into the U.S. on Oc.t 22, authorities said. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
"Our officers used their experience and inspection skills to intercept this significant load of prohibited narcotics, delivering another significant blow to illicit drug trafficking in our area," said Brownsville Port of Entry Director Tater Ortiz.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}On Oct. 22, CBP officers busted another driver – a 60-year-old Mexican citizen – transporting a load of methamphetamine hidden inside a 1997 Freightliner truck, the agency said Thursday.
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The driver had applied for entry into the U.S. at the Veterans International Bridge in Brownsville when CBP officers referred the truck for further examination.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Inside the truck, officers found 62 buckets containing 2,444 pounds – or 1.2 tons – of methamphetamine, the agency said. The alleged narcotics had an estimated street value of $48,898,072.
In both cases, the drivers were arrested and turned over to Homeland Security Investigations special agents for further investigation.