U.S. Customs officers intercept $19 million in cocaine at Port of Savannah

By Savannah Morning News
Posted at 4:17 PM Updated Feb 22, 2019 at 4:37 PM

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations officers working at the Savannah seaport last November encountered a commercial shipment of pineapples that originated in Cartagena, Colombia. During a physical inspection, officers discovered 450 packages weighing 1,157 pounds concealed in the produce.

A subsequent field test confirmed that the packages contained cocaine.

“This was an outstanding interception of narcotics by our CBP officers,” said Lisa Beth Brown Savannah CBP Area Port director, announcing the November find three months later on Feb. 22.

“This seizure is a positive enforcement action against drug smuggling organizations and highlights the important work our officers do each day to stop illegal activity at our borders and ports of entry.”

The discovery of narcotics by CBP officers within a commercial shipment of fresh pineapples has an estimated street value of $19,114,940. This seizure remains under investigation.

CBP conducts operations at ports of entry throughout the United States, and regularly screens arriving international passengers and cargo for narcotics, weapons, and other restricted or prohibited products. On a typical day nationally, CBP seizes over 5,000 pounds of drugs.

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