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An attempt to smuggle around 330 pounds of cocaine, which is worth more than $4 million, from Mexico to the U.S. was thwarted by federal authorities at the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge last weekend.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a news release that a CBP officer on Saturday, Sept. 23, directed the bus to be inspected using “non-intrusive” equipment.
What CBP called a physical inspection turned up 131 packages of “alleged cocaine” weighing 338.54 pounds that had been “concealed within the bus.”
That alleged cocaine has a value of $4,520,192, according to federal authorities.
The agency’s Office of Field Operations seized the narcotics and the bus while Homeland Security Investigations launched a criminal investigation.
“These harmful narcotics will not make it to American streets thanks to our CBP officers who used all available tools and resources to stop this smuggling attempt,” stated Carlos Rodriguez, port director at the Hidalgo, Pharr and Anzalduas bridges.