U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Texas discovered nearly $12 million worth of cocaine in a shipment labeled “baby wipes” last week, marking the agency’s largest bust of the drug in almost two decades, officials said.
The CBP announced in a news release Monday that the seizure occurred at the Laredo-Colombia Solidarity Bridge, which spans the Rio Grande and connects Laredo, Texas, with the Mexican state of Nuevo León.
The shipment was only found when officers had second thoughts about a 2016 Stoughton trailer that was attempting to enter the U.S. and referred it for a second, “non-intrusive inspection system examination” that included a canine.
The trailer’s manifest said it was hauling baby wipes, but the secondary inspection reportedly found the trove of illicit narcotics — 1,532 pounds of cocaine hidden in 1,935 packages.
The CBP estimated the street value of the shipment at more than $11.8 million.
Randy Howe, director of field operations for the CBP’s Laredo field office, called it a “colossal, record-setting seizure.”
Colossal, record setting seizure. Largest Cocaine bust in 20 years! The Laredo Port of Entry seizes over 1,500 pounds of cocaine from Transnational Criminal Organizations! Extremely proud of our @CBP employees for keeping our communities safe. pic.twitter.com/WKDAFD4zIm
— Director of Field Operations, Donald R. Kusser (@DFOLaredo) August 29, 2022
CBP officers seized the cocaine, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations special agents are investigating the matter, the release said.
“Officers assigned to CBP cargo facilities ensure effective border security by preventing and countering the flow of suspected narcotics entering the country,” said Alberto Flores, the port director for the Laredo Port of Entry.
“This seizure is a prime example of border security management and how it helps prevent dangerous narcotics from reaching our communities,” Flores added.