BROWNSVILLE, Texas — Customs officer seized more than 27 pounds of alleged cocaine believed to be worth more than $366,000 at the Texas-Mexico border, authorities said.
According to a news release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Monday, officers found the narcotics hidden within a 2018 Nissan at the Veterans International Bridge in Brownsville, Texas on Jan. 26.
Officials said a 50-year-old man, who is a U.S. citizen and lives in Brownsville, had crossed into the U.S. from Matamoros.
The vehicle was referred to a secondary inspection by customs agents, according to the news release.
During the inspection, which was assisted by a canine unit, officers discovered 14 packages hidden inside the vehicle. The packages were removed and weighed 27.42 pounds of alleged cocaine, the release stated.
The estimated street value of the cocaine from the seizure is approximately $366,183, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said.
The driver was arrested and the agents seized the vehicle. They were turned over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations special agents for further investigation.
“Our officers use multiple enforcement tools to conduct their inspections and their efforts led to this significant narcotics interception,” Michael B. Reyes, port director at the Brownsville Port of Entry, said in a statement.
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