From a drug-loaded pickup floating across the Rio Grande to a multimillion-dollar cocaine seizure in Laredo, smugglers appear to be getting bolder — but not necessarily smarter.
1. Rio Grande Chaos: Agents Seize 250 Pounds of Marijuana After Smugglers Splash Down
The public didn’t learn about the dramatic drug interdiction until U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael W. Banks posted a video to social media on May 30. The footage, attached to a tweet, appears to show agents racing along the border wall before arriving at a scene of confusion on the banks of the Rio Grande.
According to Chief Banks, the incident occurred on May 27, when smugglers allegedly attempted to float a pickup truck loaded with what he described as “suspicious bundles” across the river on a homemade raft. The smugglers reportedly reached U.S. soil and began fleeing on foot, but when pursued by agents, the driver turned the vehicle around and plunged it back into the river.
SPLASHDOWN IN TEXAS! On 5/27, smugglers tried to outsmart the U.S. Border Patrol with a bold move—floating a pickup truck loaded with suspicious bundles across the Rio Grande on a homemade raft. Once on U.S. soil, they made a break for it. But as agents closed in, the driver… pic.twitter.com/TUtcFJchPX
— Chief Michael W. Banks (@USBPChief) May 30, 2025
The video shows at least nine individuals splashing into the water with large floating parcels as Border Patrol agents look on. One agent can be heard saying, “They can do this anywhere.”
Banks claimed the bundles contained marijuana and weighed nearly 250 pounds. He praised the agents’ response, saying they acted quickly to recover six bundles. The video also includes aerial footage and shows the vehicle partially submerged with the seized parcels nearby.
Federal authorities have not released the identities of any suspects or confirmed whether arrests were made. The total number of individuals involved remains unclear. The drug type and weight have not been independently verified.
2. Cocaine Hidden in Empty Trailer at Laredo Bridge, Say Officials
On June 4, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s South Texas office announced what it described as a $4.8 million cocaine seizure at the Colombia-Solidarity Bridge near Laredo.
According to a CBP press release, officers on June 3 referred an “empty” 2013 Fontaine trailer for secondary inspection. Using what the agency described as a “nonintrusive inspection system” and a canine unit, officers allegedly discovered 149 packages containing 363 pounds of cocaine concealed within the trailer.
Summer “snow” storm in Laredo: @DFOLaredo @CBP officers seize $4.8M in cocaine hidden in trailer at Colombia-Solidarity Bridge. @HSI_SanAntonio is investigating. Read more: https://t.co/r1BqFufNry pic.twitter.com/ZYtRnCvzG4
— CBP South Texas (@CBPSouthTexas) June 4, 2025
CBP estimated the street value of the narcotics to be $4,851,052. The release stated that Homeland Security Investigations is probing the case.
Port Director Alberto Flores credited “intelligence-driven targeting” and said the incident shows the agency’s ability to disrupt the drug trade using advanced technology. However, authorities did not disclose the driver’s nationality, the trailer’s origin, or its intended destination. No arrests were mentioned in the press release, and no criminal charges have been announced.
3. Cocaine in Car Panels Near El Paso Could Have Caused 17,000 Overdoses
A separate bust from the same day as the Rio Grande incident reportedly uncovered 45.2 pounds of cocaine at the Bridge of the Americas in El Paso, according to Customs and Border Protection officials.
A CBP press release stated that a 20-year-old U.S. citizen arrived at the border in a 2016 Hyundai Elantra around 8 a.m. on May 27. After a preliminary inspection, the vehicle was sent to secondary screening. A drug-sniffing dog allegedly alerted to the presence of narcotics.
Using X-ray equipment, agents reported “anomalies” in the vehicle’s rocker panels — a narrow cavity running beneath the doors. Inside, they claimed to find 19 bundles of cocaine, which they seized.
The driver was arrested and turned over to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, where she is reportedly facing charges for “manufacturing/delivery of a controlled substance.”
The Dallas Express reported that the seized drugs could cause more than 17,000 fatal overdoses, although such calculations typically depend on assumptions about drug purity and dosage levels.
CBP Public Affairs Specialist Roger Maier declined to release the woman’s name and directed further questions to the sheriff’s office. Jail staff reportedly declined to comment.
Federal authorities have not said whether this seizure is connected to any broader drug trafficking network or whether additional suspects are being pursued.
To read about last week’s biggest border busts, click here: Texas Takedown Weekly: Border’s Biggest Busts (May 30)