A recent search by patrol agents at the Texas-Mexico border yielded over $10 million in narcotics stashed in commercial flower arrangements.
Traffickers of illicit items continue to test U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers along the southern border. Shortly before Christmas, a secondary inspection of a tractor-trailer carrying cut flowers from Mexico at the World Trade Bridge in Laredo yielded 164.72 pounds of powdered methamphetamine, 165.34 pounds of cocaine, and 854.07 pounds of crystallized methamphetamine.
“This significant seizure is an example of ongoing operational efforts conducted daily to protect our borders,” said Alberto Flores, the port director of Laredo, in a news release.
The driver of the truck was arrested, and the narcotics haul, which is worth an estimated $10,298,520, is being probed by Homeland Security Investigations.
Early in December, U.S. Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens announced the seizure of over 4,600 pounds of illicit drugs worth over $6 million in just one week, including methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, as previously covered in The Dallas Express.
Over 488,000 pounds of illicit drugs were seized at the southern border in 2023, with the vast majority consisting of marijuana and methamphetamine. According to the DEA, methamphetamine is a highly addictive synthetic stimulant that can cause a heart attack or stroke when taken in large doses.
As extensively covered in The Dallas Express, activity on Texas’ southern border has been kicking up amid a new law due to come into effect in March. Signed by Gov. Greg Abbott in mid-December, Senate Bill 4 makes unlawful entry into the state a crime and empowers law enforcement officers to apprehend those suspected of doing so.
The law has been challenged by the Department of Justice, which claims that the legislation infringes on federal powers. As its enactment draws near, it has reportedly sparked an uptick in unlawful migrant crossing attempts before it comes into effect: One video from a citizen journalist purportedly showed thousands gathering to attempt to cross recently at Eagle Pass.