CBP Officers Seize Cocaine Hidden in Tractor at World Trade Bridge
Written by Post Public Information Representative, Apr 27, 2015, Comments Off
Courtesy Richard Pauza,
Laredo, Texas –U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Laredo Port of Entry seized a load of cocaine hidden in the tractor of a driver enrolled in the Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program.
“CBP extends front of the line privileges to drivers enrolled in FAST but also conducts spot checks to ensure compliance with the program. In this instance, CBP officers adhering to the adage “trust, but verify” discovered a cache of hard narcotics,” said Port Director Joseph Misenhelter, Laredo Port of Entry.
The seizure occurred on April 23 at World Trade Bridge when CBP officers in the secondary express area selected a 2000 Freightliner driven by a 40-year-old Mexican citizen from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico for a spot-check examination. During the examination, CBP officers discovered packages hidden within the tractor cab containing 15.6 pounds of cocaine. The estimated street value for the narcotics is $120,360.
CBP officers seized the narcotics, arrested the driver and turned him over to Homeland Security Investigations special agents for further investigation.
