U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stationed at the Sarita Checkpoint in Rio Grande Valley, Texas recently seized more than 44 pounds of cocaine in a single incident.
The incident began as agents referred a local commercial bus for a secondary inspection after a K-9 unit alerted officers to possible suspicious activity within the vehicle. All passengers were removed from the bus to allow officers to investigate.
The subsequent inspection led to the discovery of 15 packages wrapped in black tape concealed within the bus’ toilet. A field test confirmed that the packages contained elements of cocaine. In total, the shipment carried an estimated street value of $1.4 million.
Passengers were allowed to re-board the bus and depart the checkpoint. No arrests were made.
CBP agents are encouraging the public to to take a stand against crime in their communities by reporting suspicious activity at 800-863-9382.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of the nation’s borders at and between the official ports of entry.