CBP Officers, Agriculture Specialists in South Texas Seize Large Amounts of Narcotics, Currency, Fake Documents, Prohibited Items in FY 2010
Written by admin, Feb 25, 2011, 0 Comments
Courtesy U.S. Customs & Border Protection,
(SOUTH TEXAS) – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and agriculture specialists at eight South Texas ports of entry seized a significant amount of narcotics, currency, false documents, and uncovered numerous immigration and agricultural violations during fiscal year 2010. Fiscal Year 2010 began October 1, 2009 and ended Sept. 30, 2010.
CBP officers at eight ports of entry extending from Brownsville to Del Rio in FY 2010 seized 154,313 pounds of narcotics that carried an estimated street value of $407 million. This is a 45 percent increase over the total amount of narcotics seized in FY 2009. Specifically they seized 146,934 pounds of marijuana, 6,075 pounds of cocaine, 758 pounds of methamphetamine, 546 pounds of heroin, $13.6 million in undeclared currency, 111 firearms and 64,040 rounds of ammunition. Weapons seizures are up significantly over the 85 firearms and 22,399 bullets seized in FY 2009. They made those interceptions while processing 2.4 million commercial trucks, 21.3 million privately-owned vehicles, 59.5 million passengers and pedestrians and 74,540 commercial buses at the ports over the same period.
South Texas CBP officers in FY 2010 determined that a total of 24,625 non-U.S. citizens were inadmissible to the U.S. due to violations of immigration law. CBP officers and agriculture specialists in FY 2010 intercepted a total of 19,154 pests. They also made 34,331 interceptions of quarantined animal materials. CBP in South Texas also tallied 131,375 interceptions of quarantined plant materials in FY 2010.
“I applaud the consistent and robust enforcement activity realized by our frontline CBP officers and agriculture specialists during Fiscal Year 2010. The 45 percent increase in total narcotics seized illustrates the substantial drug threat we face,” said Gene Garza, Acting Director, Field Operations, Laredo Field Office. “Our CBP officers working together with Border Patrol agents and ICE-HSI special agents in enhanced outbound inspections also led to significant weapons and currency interceptions.”
