LAREDO, Texas — Over the weekend agents found more than $18 million in methamphetamine in two busts at border bridges.
Agents from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and officers from the Office of Field Operations seized the drugs at the World Trade Bridge and Colombia Solidarity Bridge.
“The upsurge of methamphetamine trafficking has become a serious international health and security threat,” Acting Port Director Andrew Douglas of the Laredo Port of Entry, said. “These seizures validate CBP’s commitment in securing our borders and protecting our communities from this persistent drug threat.”
The first bust happened Friday when officers found a 2019 Kentworth tractor hauling handcrafted cobblestone. It was flagged for a canine and non-intrusive imaging system inspection, which resulted in the discovery of 336 packages containing more than 700 pounds of suspected methamphetamine, which has an estimated street value of more than $15 million.
The second seizure occurred on Saturday at the Colombia Solidarity Bridge cargo facility. A 2002 Ford F-150 carrying a shipment of auto equipment was referred for more inspection. About 140 pounds of alleged methamphetamine was discovered, which has an estimated street value of almost $3 million.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations is now handling those cases.
