U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers Seize Nearly $413,000 in Cocaine at Brownsville Port of Entry

Brownsville, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Brownsville and Matamoros International Bridge discovered cocaine valued at nearly $413,000 hidden within a Ford Focus vehicle.

On Tuesday, July 3, at the Brownsville and Matamoros International Bridge, CBP officers came in contact with a black 2000 Ford Focus driven by a 27-year-old man, identified as a Mexico citizen and resident of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. After a primary inspection, a CBP officer referred the Ford for a secondary examination. While performing a secondary inspection, CBP officers discovered six packages hidden within the car. CBP officers removed the packages containing approximately 12.9 pounds of alleged cocaine.

The alleged cocaine from this seizure had an estimated street value of approximately $412,800. CBP officers turned the driver over to Homeland Security Investigations special agents for further investigation. CBP officers also seized the narcotics and the vehicle.

“Brownsville CBP officers working primary stopped this load of alleged cocaine from being smuggled into the country. I applaud their vigilance on the frontline as we continue to keep our homeland safe from would be smugglers and their dangerous drugs,” said Michael Freeman, CBP Port Director, Brownsville port of entry.

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 official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.