U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered more than 1,500 pounds of cocaine hidden in a place where you would least expect it: a shipment of baby wipes.
The narcotics seizure occurred last Friday at the Laredo-Colombia Solidarity International Bridge, according to the agency in a news release. The bridge, located on the U.S.-Mexico border, connects Laredo, Texas over the Rio Grande with the Mexican state of Nuevo León.
Officials say a CBP officer at the Laredo-Colombia Solidarity Bridge stopped a tractor-trailer bringing in a shipment of baby wipes for a secondary inspection.
Following the inspection, drug-sniffing dogs made the discovery of what CBP described as 1,935 packages of cocaine totaling 1,532 pounds.
Colossal, record setting seizure. Largest Cocaine bust in 20 years! The Laredo Port of Entry seizes over 1,500 pounds of cocaine from Transnational Criminal Organizations! Extremely proud of our @CBP employees for keeping our communities safe. pic.twitter.com/WKDAFD4zIm
— Director, Field Operations, Randy Howe (@DFOLaredo) August 29, 2022
The agency says the estimated street value of the seized cocaine totaled more than $11.8 million.
"Officers assigned to CBP cargo facilities ensure effective border security by preventing and countering the flow of suspected narcotics entering the country," said Alberto Flores, the port director for the Laredo Port of Entry, in a news release.
"This seizure is a prime example of border security management and how it helps prevent dangerous narcotics from reaching our communities," he added.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations say special agents are investigating the seizure, according to the release.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
