U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Hidalgo International Bridge, in two separate incidents recently seized approximately $356,000 of alleged cocaine and arrested an imposter attempting to enter the United States without valid entry documents.
“CBP officers continue to halt dangerous drugs and uncover attempts to gain admission to the U.S. at ports of entry without valid entry documents,” Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry, said. “These two enforcement actions illustrate and reaffirm our commitment to CBP’s border security mission.”
On Jan. 13, CBP officers referred a grey Dodge Journey driven by a 32-year-old male Mexican citizen from Cadereyta, Nuevo Leon, Mexico to secondary for inspection. A physical inspection and the use of a non-intrusive imaging inspection (NII) revealed 18 packages containing approximately 46 pounds of alleged cocaine with an estimated street value of $356,320.
CBP OFO seized the narcotics along with the vehicle and arrested the driver and turned him over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents for further investigation.
On Jan. 15, officers encountered a 30-year-old male Mexican citizen from Zumpahuacan, Mexico at the border crossing as a pedestrian. He presented a laser visa to a primary CBP officer who referred him to secondary inspection.
In the secondary inspection, system checks of national law enforcement databases found that the laser visa was issued to a person other than the man presenting it. The checks also revealed that the man had previously been removed multiple times, most recently on May 12, 2009.
CBP officers arrested the man, and he was taken into custody for violations of U.S. immigration law.