November 6, 09

NEWS / El Paso CBP Busts Empty Cargo Trailer with Marijuana in Wall, Floor

El Paso, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Bridge of the Americas commercial cargo facility in El Paso seized 823.24 pounds of marijuana in one bust Wednesday.

“Today’s interdiction removes a sizeable amount of marijuana from the streets of our communities and the reach of our youth,” said CBP Assistant El Paso Port Director for Tactical Operations Patricia Aveitia. “This noteworthy seizure highlights our officer’s determination to serve this nation in protecting our homeland.”


The seizure was made at approximately 9:52 a.m. when a 1991 Freightliner trailer hauling an empty refrigerated trailer entered the BOTA cargo facility from Mexico. CBP officers selected the vehicle for a gamma-ray exam and identified several anomalies in the appearance of the trailer. The vehicle was moved to the inspection dock where a CBP drug sniffing dog searched the trailer and alerted to the front wall.

CBP officers discovered a false wall and a false floor at the front of the trailer and found numerous wrapped bundles hidden inside. CBP officers removed a total of 134 marijuana-filled bundles from the shipment. The seized marijuana weighed 823.24 pounds. No arrests were made and the investigation is continuing.


While anti-terrorism is the primary mission of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the inspection process at the ports of entry associated with this mission results in impressive numbers of enforcement actions in all categories.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/11052009.xml