CBP Officers at the Hidalgo/Anzalduas International Bridges Seize $3.2 Million in Cocaine – Man and Woman Arrested

Hidalgo, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Hidalgo and Anzalduas International Bridges seized 100.8 pounds of cocaine in two separate and unrelated drug seizures this last weekend. The combined estimated street value of the cocaine is $3,222,596.

On January 28, CBP officers working at the Anzalduas International Bridge came in contact with a northbound 1992 GMC pickup truck and its driver, a 39-year-old Mexican citizen from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. After the initial primary inspection, a CBP officer referred the male driver and vehicle to secondary for further inspection. In secondary, officers seized 30 packages of alleged cocaine that were found hidden within the vehicle. In this seizure, the cocaine weighed 73.9 pounds and was valued at $2,366,153. CBP seized the GMC pickup truck.

On Sunday, January 30, a CBP officer working primary inspection duties at the Hidalgo/Reynosa International Bridge referred to secondary a northbound 2003 VW Jetta sedan. The female driver was identified as a 46-year-old U.S. citizen from El Paso, Texas. In secondary, officers seized 14 packages of alleged cocaine that were found hidden within the Volkswagen sedan. In this seizure, the cocaine weighed 26.7 pounds and was valued at $856,443. CBP seized the VW Jetta sedan.

In these two enforcement actions, the male and female drivers were transferred to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) for further investigation.

Hector A. Mancha, CBP port director, Hidalgo/Pharr and Anzalduas said, “Our frontline officers utilizing their experience, skills and enforcement resources continue doing great work in intercepting and seizing contraband such as these two cocaine loads. I commend our officers for their work and for securing our nation’s borders.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.