U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers Seize Over $417,000 in Methamphetamine at Gateway International Bridge

Brownsville, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Gateway International Bridge intercepted a significant load of alleged methamphetamine. CBP officers discovered the alleged narcotics, valued at approximately $417,300, hidden within a Mercury Villager.

On February 16, CBP officers working primary at Gateway International Bridge encountered a green 1999 Mercury Villager driven by a woman and accompanied by her husband and brother-in-law. The CBP officer’s primary examination resulted in the vehicle and its occupants, identified as a 38-year-old female driver, her 47-year-old husband and 44-year-old brother-in-law, all citizens of Mexico who reside in Houston, Texas being referred to CBP secondary for further examination. While in secondary, CBP officers discovered 24 hidden packages within the Mercury Villager. CBP officers removed 24 packages from the vehicle with a combined total weight of 12.62 kilograms (27.82 pounds) of alleged methamphetamine.

The alleged methamphetamine from this seizure has an estimated street value of approximately $417,300. CBP officers seized the narcotics and the vehicle and turned the woman and two men over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) special agents for further investigation.

“CBP officers working at our nation’s borders have stopped these dangerous narcotics from entering our country. I congratulate our officers for their unwavering commitment to securing our borders,” said Michael Freeman, CBP port director, Brownsville/Los Indios.

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