PHARR, Texas—U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility discovered 3,947 pounds of alleged marijuana within a commercial shipment of key limes.
“This is an outstanding interception of narcotics. Our CBP officers continue to excel in their knowledge of smuggling techniques which allows them to intercept these kinds of attempts to introduce narcotics into our country,” said Port Director Efrain Solis Jr., Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry.
The seizure occurred on January 30, when CBP officers assigned to the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility encountered a 2001 Freightliner tractor trailer. After the conveyance was referred for a secondary inspection, CBP officers utilized a non-intrusive imagining system along with the help of a canine team to locate the narcotics. CBP officers extracted 34,764 packages containing a total of 3,947.37 pounds of alleged marijuana comingled within the shipment of key limes.
CBP OFO seized the drugs, valued at approximately $789,467. The case remains under investigation by Homeland Security Investigations special agents.
