U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized cocaine worth more than $611,000 hidden inside a commercial vehicle at the Veterans International Bridge, federal officials said Tuesday.
The seizure happened on Oct. 21 at the bridge's commercial import lot. Officers referred a 2005 International truck pulling a flatbed trailer for a secondary examination after a non-intrusive inspection system detected structural anomalies. A search with a service canine led officers to 20 packages of suspected cocaine weighing a total of 45.81 pounds. Federal authorities estimated the street value at $611,680.
The driver, a 39-year-old Mexican citizen who lives in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, was arrested by Homeland Security Investigations special agents, who opened a criminal investigation into the smuggling attempt. CBP seized the drugs and the vehicle.
Tater Ortiz, port director for the Brownsville Port of Entry, said in a statement that officers continue working to intercept dangerous narcotics and disrupt criminal networks.