$2.2 MILLION worth of meth & coke seized

C.B.P. News Release

CBP at Pharr International Bridge Seize Methamphetamine and Two Cocaine Loads – Drugs Valued at $2.2 Million

(Tuesday, August 02, 2011)

Pharr, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Pharr/Reynosa International Bridge seized approximately 36 pounds of methamphetamine and 53.9 pounds of cocaine in three separate and unrelated drug seizures. The combined estimated street value of the seized drugs was $2,266,020.

In Pharr secondary, CBP officers seized 10 packages of alleged methamphetamine that were found hidden within a vehicle’s transmission. The methamphetamine was valued at $539,024.

On July 31, CBP officers working at the Pharr/Reynosa International Bridge came in contact with a northbound 1999 Ford F-150 pickup truck and its driver, a 49-year-old Mexican citizen from Doraville, Georgia. A CBP officer referred the male driver and pickup truck to secondary for further inspection. In secondary, officers seized 10 packages of alleged methamphetamine that were found hidden within the vehicle’s transmission. The methamphetamine was valued at $539,024.

On August 1, CBP officers at the Pharr/Reynosa International Bridge referred a female driver and 1998 Volkswagen Beetle sedan to secondary for further inspection. While in secondary, CBP officers seized 10 packages of alleged cocaine that were found hidden inside the vehicle’s backseat area. In this seizure, the driver was identified as a 25-year-old U.S. citizen from McAllen, Texas. The cocaine was valued at $870,552 and weighed approximately 27.2 pounds.

On August 1, CBP officers working at the Pharr/Reynosa International Bridge made a second seizure after a 2000 Volkswagen Jetta sedan was referred to secondary for further inspection. The male driver was identified as an 18-year-old Mexican citizen from Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico. In secondary, officers seized 10 packages of alleged cocaine that were found hidden within the vehicle’s backseat area. In this seizure, the cocaine was valued at $856,443 and weighed approximately 26.7 pounds.

All vehicles were seized by CBP and the three drivers were transferred to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement–Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation.

“I commend our cadre of frontline officers for their work in interdicting and seizing these three significant amounts of hard narcotics,â€