U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers working at the Bridge of the Americas international crossing seized over 35 pounds of cocaine Tuesday evening.
The seizure occurred just after 7 p.m. when a 74-year-old U.S. citizen entered the border crossing driving a mini-van from Mexico. A CBP Officer working the primary inspection booth noticed three large plastic containers located in a storage compartment and requested that a canine team screen the vehicle.
A CBP drug sniffing dog conducted a vehicle search and the canine alerted. Upon further inspection, to include a manual inspection and Z-Portal (aka X-Ray) exam, U.S. CBP Officers discovered approximately 35 pounds of cocaine secreted within the containers.
CBP Officers tested a sample from the containers which confirmed the substance was cocaine.
“The team performed flawlessly and used all parts of our layered enforcement techniques,” said CBP El Paso Director of Field Operations Hector Mancha. “I commend the primary officer’s instinct, the canine team, and the officers in the secondary area for stopping these drugs from reaching American communities.”
The drugs were seized and the case remains under investigation.
