CBP Seizes Over $6.2 Million Worth Of Cocaine Hidden In Shipment Of Plastic Rolls

U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced the recent seizure of more than $6 million worth of cocaine hidden within a shipment of plastic rolls.

CBP Office of Field Operations officers at the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility in Texas on Wednesday, March 5, encountered a commercial tractor-trailer hauling a shipment of plastic wrap making entry from Mexico. The trailer was selected for inspection using nonintrusive equipment and canines.

A physical inspection revealed “something that didnt belong”: 150 packages of alleged cocaine weighing a total of 470.68 pounds. The packages were concealed within the rolls of plastic. The cocaine has an estimated street value of $6,284,586.

“Large cocaine seizures like this not only underscore the seriousness of the drug threat our frontline CBP officers face every day but also the effectiveness of applying inspection experience and technology to zero in and take down this load, preventing it from reaching U.S. streets,” Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry, said in a statement.

CBP officers turned the tractor-trailer, cocaine and driver over to Texas Department of Public Safety officers who arrested the driver and launched a criminal investigation.