U.S. Customs officials seize hard narcotics in fresh carrot shipment
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials at the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility intercepted alleged methamphetamine and heroin worth $2.98 million in a commercial shipment of fresh carrots arriving from Mexico.
“This interception of hard narcotics in the commercial environment was accomplished due to outstanding teamwork and great utilization of all available tools and resources,” Carlos Rodriguez, port director of Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas, said in a news release.
According to the release, a tractor/trailer hauling a commercial shipment of fresh carrots arrived from Mexico Nov. 24 at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge cargo facility. Customs officials found and removed 113 packages of alleged methamphetamine weighing 111 pounds (50.38 kg) and 31 packages of alleged heroin that weighed nearly 34 pounds (15.30 kg).
The heroin is valued at $765,000 and the methamphetamine at $2.22 million, according to the release.
CBP seized the narcotics along with the tractor/trailer and agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) continue with the investigation, according to the release.