Federal officers in South Texas said they seized more than $4.4 million worth of cocaine hidden inside a tractor-trailer, the latest in a series of large narcotics busts across the state in recent months.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced the seizure on its main X account on October 12, claiming that officers at the World Trade Bridge in Laredo discovered the drugs during a secondary inspection of a commercial truck transporting trailer parts.

The agency’s post read, “Despite the government shutdown, we remain committed to securing our borders. @DFOLaredo officers seized an estimated value of over $4.4M of cocaine. The narcotics were identified during a secondary inspection of a tractor that was transporting a shipment of trailer parts.”


The seizure occurred on October 1 when officers referred a 2022 Pinnacle tractor hauling trailer parts for a closer inspection, according to CBP. A canine unit and nonintrusive inspection system allegedly revealed 144 packages containing approximately 335 pounds of cocaine. Officials estimated the narcotics’ street value at $4,474,272.

“Our frontline CBP officers remain dedicated to CBP’s border security mission and that dedication and application of technology and inspection experience led to this significant cocaine seizure,” Laredo Port Director Alberto Flores said in a statement. “Seizures like these reflect the reality of the drug threat we face on a daily basis and our resolve to maintain a robust enforcement posture to interdict this poison and prevent it from reaching U.S. streets.”

Homeland Security Investigations special agents are reportedly investigating the case.

The bust follows a string of major cocaine seizures at Texas ports and highways this year. In late September, CBP officials said they found 70 packages of cocaine valued at over $2.3 million hidden in a tractor-trailer at the Hidalgo Port of Entry. Similar multimillion-dollar shipments were also intercepted near Kingsville in July, The Dallas Express reported.

Elsewhere in Texas, local law enforcement has conducted significant operations targeting cartel-linked drug smuggling. In August, the Collin County Sheriff’s Office announced two major drug busts, including one years-long investigation that led to the arrest of a suspected trafficker and the seizure of 30,000 fentanyl pills and 18 kilograms of cocaine, DX reported. Officers in that case described the Dallas-Fort Worth area as a “distribution center” for cartel activity.

Earlier this year, Dallas police reportedly seized nearly a kilogram of fentanyl, more than 100 grams of cocaine and multiple illegal firearms during two raids that investigators said exposed the overlap between narcotics trafficking and violent crime in city neighborhoods.

CBP officials in Laredo have repeatedly emphasized the daily nature of their enforcement work, saying large-scale seizures underscore the volume of narcotics attempting to cross the U.S.–Mexico border. However, the agency has not disclosed any arrests or charges related to the latest seizure.

The investigation remains ongoing.