U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) field operations officers seized nearly 90 pounds of hard narcotics worth more than $690,000 in street value during an enforcement action on July 15, according to a CBP press release.
CBP officers at the Laredo Port of Entry encountered a 2003 Freightliner tractor that appeared to be carrying a shipment of air conditioner parts from Mexico. The tractor and trailer were referred for a K-9 and non-intrusive system inspection, during which the narcotics were discovered, according to the release.
CBP officers and agents from the Office of Field Operations (OFO) seized the trailer and 32 packages containing nearly 90 pounds of alleged cocaine, CBP reported. The narcotics have a street value of $691,560.
“Attempts to smuggle contraband through commercial supply chains are increasing,” Laredo Port Director Alberto Flores said. “Our continued commitment to maintaining a strong border security operations posture has resulted in significant narcotic interdictions at our cargo facilities.”
Among American adults under 45, drugs are the leading cause of death. According to CDC data, the number of reported drug overdose deaths in Texas and the United States has been steadily increasing since 2015. Around 4,800 people died from drug overdoses in Texas in 2021. In 2019, the figure was closer to 3,000, representing an increase of nearly 2,000 overdoses in just two years.
In the first six months of 2022, CBP agents seized more than 150 pounds of fentanyl in the Laredo Sector, according to federal government figures, The Dallas Express reported.
During the entire year of 2021, agents seized nearly 600 pounds of the deadly narcotic at the Laredo International Bridges.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) considers fentanyl to be the most lethal drug threat the country has ever faced, according to The Dallas Express.
“Fentanyl is highly addictive, found in all 50 states, and drug traffickers are increasingly mixing it with other types of drugs — in powder and pill form — in an effort to drive addiction and attract repeat buyers,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram.
