U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently seized more than 3,038 pounds of methamphetamine in two separate, unrelated cases in South Texas.
Both cases involved tractor-trailers attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border at the Laredo port of entry.
The first case occurred Oct. 27 at the port’s Colombia-Solidarity Bridge. CBP officers found 618 packages containing 1,988 pounds of alleged meth inside an empty tractor-trailer from Mexico. The narcotics have an estimated street value of $39.8 million, authorities said.
The second case occurred Wednesday at Laredo’s World Trade Bridge. Agents were checking a truck hauling a shipment of frozen vegetables from Mexico. CBP discovered 352 packages containing 1,049 pounds of alleged meth in the trailer. The narcotics reportedly have an estimated street value of $21 million.
The two combined drug seizures totaled $60.8 million.
“The trafficking and production of methamphetamine has increased substantially over the past year, causing drug traffickers to become more creative in their methods of smuggling their product into America,” Andrew Douglas, acting director for the Laredo port of entry, said in a release.
CBP officers seized the narcotics and both trailers. The cases were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations.
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