U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in South Texas recently made another multi-million-dollar seizure of methamphetamine hidden in fresh produce, this time in mangoes.
On Aug. 15, the commercial load of mangoes arrived at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge cargo facility and the tractor-trailer was referred to a secondary inspection. Officers found 48 packages of suspected methamphetamine concealed in the truck, according to a news release. The drugs weighed a total of about 320 pounds and, with a street value of about $6.4 million.
It was one of three methamphetamine seizures in South Texas on Aug. 15-16, according to the release, with a total street value of $7.7 million.
“As these three seizures and the continual drumbeat of recent area narcotics seizures illustrate, the hard narcotics threat at our ports of entry is quite evident and our front-line officers remain dedicated to uphold our border security mission,” Port Director Carlos Rodriguez at the Port of Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas, said in the release.
Including the drugs in the mango load, officers at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge seized methamphetamine worth $76.5 million in fresh produce shipments in recent weeks:
- $3.7 million in a load of fresh produce on July 6;
- $30.5 million in a load of onions on July 9;
- $16.1 million in a load of broccoli on Aug. 3; and
- $19.8 million in a load of fresh produce on Aug. 7.
Related stories:
$3.7 million of meth in produce load stopped in Texas
CBP finds $30.5 million worth of meth in onion load
Load of broccoli stopped with $16 million of meth aboard
