02/10/2010

News / CBP in Laredo Seizes $5 Million in Marijuana, Undeclared Currency over Weekend

Laredo, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Laredo, Texas port of entry were super in their own right this weekend by seizing 2.5 tons of marijuana and nearly $200,000 in undeclared currency in four separate enforcement actions. The seized marijuana is worth a total of $5.1 million.

The 4,964 pounds of marijuana seized at World Trade Bridge is the most recent. A 1996 International tractor hauling a trailer driven by a 41-year-old Mexican national from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas Mexico arrived for processing. CBP officers referred the shipment containing 108 bundles of manifested auto parts for an X-ray scan and discovered 140 extra bundles co-mingled inside the trailer. A CBP canine and a closer inspection of the extra bundles led CBP officers to the discovery of the marijuana that weighed over 2.4 tons and is valued at $4,964,000.


Another one of the marijuana seizures occurred at the Lincoln Juarez Bridge when CBP officers encountered a 29-year-old Mexican national from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas driving a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pick-up truck. CBP officers used a density meter and an X-ray scan to detect 36 bundles containing 156 pounds of marijuana within the tires of the truck. The marijuana is valued at $156,000.


The smallest of the marijuana cases occurred also at World Trade Bridge when CBP officers inspecting a courier service commercial shipment discovered 17 pounds of the illegal weed within a synthetic leather fabric roll. A CBP canine, an x-ray scan, and a closer inspection of the roll of fabric led CBP officers to the discovery of the marijuana that is valued at $17,000.


The last of the enforcement actions for the weekend was the interception of $196,450 in undeclared U. S. currency found within the gas tank of a 2001 Honda Accord driven by a 29-year-old Houston, Texas resident. An imaging-system scan and a CBP canine assisted CBP officers and agents in the detection of the currency within the tank of the vehicle before it exited the U. S. to Mexico at the Lincoln Juarez Bridge.


All of these cases were turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents for further investigation. CBP officers seized all the vehicles involved in these attempted smuggling cases.


“The interception of all of these smuggling attempts is a credit to the dedication of every CBP officer in the protection of this country. Stopping both northbound and southbound contraband is exactly what CBP strives for every day,” said Gene Garza, CBP Port Director, Laredo.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/local/02082010_4.xml

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