CBP Seizes More Than $807,000 in Meth at Brownsville, Progreso Ports

Brownsville, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Brownsville and Progreso ports of entry this weekend intercepted two loads of alleged methamphetamine in two separate enforcement actions. CBP officers discovered the alleged narcotics valued at approximately $807,000 hidden within two separate vehicles on April 16.

The first seizure occurred at the Brownsville & Matamoros International Bridge when a CBP officer working a primary inspection lane inspected a blue 2002 Toyota Camry. The officer’s primary examination resulted in the vehicle, its driver—a woman identified as a 46-year-old citizen of Mexico who resides in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico—and her passenger, a female identified as a 59-year-old citizen of Mexico who resides in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico, being referred to CBP secondary for further examination.

While in secondary, CBP officers discovered hidden packages within the Camry. CBP officers removed a total of seven packages from the vehicle with a combined total weight of 6.59 kilograms (14.5 pounds) of alleged methamphetamine.

The alleged methamphetamine from this seizure has an estimated street value of approximately $217,500.

“Brownsville’s CBP officers continue to have success in stopping these loads of dangerous narcotics from entering the country. I commend our officers for a great job in these arrests and the detection of these potentially harmful narcotics,” said Michael Freeman, CBP Port Director, Brownsville Port of Entry.

The second seizure occurred when a CBP officer at the Progreso International Bridge came in contact with a gray 2004 Ford F-150. A primary CBP officer’s inspection resulted in the Ford and its driver, a man identified as a 24-year-old U.S. citizen who resides in Elsa, Texas, being referred for a secondary examination. At CBP secondary, officers discovered concealed packages within compartments hidden by the bedliner the pickup truck. CBP officers removed a total of 21 packages of alleged methamphetamine from within the vehicle with a total combined weight of 17.82 kilograms (39.3 pounds) of alleged methamphetamine.

The alleged methamphetamine from this seizure has an estimated street value of approximately $589,500.

“I congratulate our officers for this seizure and arrest; this is an outstanding seizure at the Progreso Port of Entry. Our CBP officers encountered this attempted smuggling, arrested the driver and seized the drugs before they could be introduced into the country,” said Juan J. Contreras, CBP acting port director at the Progreso port of entry.

In both of these cases CBP officers seized the narcotics and the vehicles and turned the two drivers and passenger over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations special agents for further investigation.

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.