CBP Officers Intercept Narcotics Worth Over $400K at World Trade Bridge
Written by Post Public Information Representative, Jun 4, 2020, 0 Comments
Courtesy Jeniffer Gutierrez
LAREDO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers intercepted narcotics with an estimated street value of more than $400,000 in one enforcement action at the World Trade Bridge.
“CBP utilizes FAST commercial carriers to facilitate lawful trade for low-risk shipments entering the United States from Mexico,” said Port Director Gregory Alvarez, Laredo Port of Entry. “Despite the consignment’s commercial clearance status, CBP periodically conducts compliance checks and exercising that due diligence resulted in this seizure and arrest.”
The Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program is a commercial clearance program for known low-risk shipments entering the United States from Canada and Mexico. Initiated after 9/11, this innovative trusted traveler/trusted shipper program allows expedited processing for commercial carriers who have completed background checks and fulfill certain eligibility requirements.
The seizure occurred on Tuesday, June 2nd at the World Trade Bridge when a CBP officer referred a 2017 Kenworth tractor hauling a shipment of motor vehicle parts for a secondary examination. The tractor was driven by a 49-year-old male Mexican citizen traveling from Mexico. Following a canine and non-intrusive imaging system examination, CBP officers discovered a total of 21.07 pounds of alleged methamphetamine concealed within the shipment.
The narcotics have an estimated street value of $421,519.
CBP seized the narcotics and tractor. The driver was arrested and the case was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) special agents for further investigation.
