U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) working at the El Paso, Texas, border prevented 26 pounds of methamphetamine and three pounds of fentanyl from being smuggled into the U.S. on Thanksgiving Day, according to a press release.
“While many families were enjoying time together celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday, CBP officers were hard at work stopping dangerous drugs from entering our country,” Ray Provencio, CBP El Paso port director, said in a statement.
“This seizure is notable because it marks one of the first times CBP officers in El Paso have encountered the multi-colored rainbow fentanyl pills,” said Provencio.
CBP officers encountered a 43-year-old woman who came to the border and was referred for a second search. A drug-sniffing dog alerted the officers to the drugs, which were hidden in her vehicle.
The drugs were seized, and the woman was turned over to Mexican authorities.
Elsewhere on the Texas-Mexico border last week, CBP seized almost 119 pounds of cocaine, according to a news release from the federal agency. The cocaine, seized by officers assigned to World Trade Bridge in Laredo, has a street value estimated at $1.5 million, according to the CBP.
“This is an excellent seizure by our officers working at the CBP cargo facilities,” Albert Flores, port director for the Laredo Port of Entry, said in a press release. “It’s a perfect example of their unfailing vigilance in guarding our nation’s borders and protecting lawful trade and travel.”
The cocaine was discovered when a CBP officer referred a 2001 Freightliner tractor-trailer that was supposed to be carrying polypropylene film for a second inspection.
“Following a canine and non-intrusive inspection system examination, CBP officers discovered a total of 118.91 pounds of alleged cocaine within the trailer,” the news release said.
CBP seized the cocaine, and Homeland Security Investigations special agents are now investigating the seizure.
