On a Thursday, at the World Trade Bridge in Laredo, a routine day for customs officers took an unexpected turn.
In a significant operation, authorities unearthed an astonishing discovery within a seemingly innocuous 2023 Freightliner tractor-trailer, originally designated for housing household goods.
A CBP officer ordered a secondary inspection, leading to the employment of a "non-intrusive inspection system." The results were staggering. There were 177 concealed packages harboring a sizable 4,466 pounds of marijuana.
Not to mention, while the sheer quantity of the substance was astounding, it bore a jaw-dropping street value of almost $10 million. Precisely, it was worth the large amount of $9,904,204.
Laredo Port of Entry Port Director Albert Flores commended the unwavering dedication of CBP officers in safeguarding the cargo environment. He noted,
"Our CBP officers continue to maintain strict vigilance in our cargo environment, and this week they came up big, with a seizure of more than two tons of marijuana. We have not seen as much marijuana lately compared to the harder narcotics, but it underscores the ever-changing nature of the drug threat our officers face on a daily basis."
The event is a stark reminder of the evolving challenges posed by drug trafficking.