US Citizens Allegedly Attempted To Smuggle Nearly $1 Million Worth Of Narcotics Across The Border

Two U.S. citizens were caught with an estimated $976,846 worth of narcotics while attempting to cross the border this week in Brownsville, Texas, Customs and Border Protection announced Friday.

In two separate incidents on Wednesday and Thursday, two Americans in their 20s attempted to re-enter the U.S. with narcotics that resembled methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, according to Customs and Border Protection. Both vehicles were referred to secondary inspections where K-9 units detected several packages of substances with similar characteristics of narcotics.

“These are two important seizures of dangerous drugs which highlight our officers’ commitment to keep our border secure and stop dangerous narcotics from entering our country,” Brownsville Port Director Tater Ortiz said in a statement.

CBP officers at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge seized over $650,000 worth of heroin on Saturday. CBP officers found nearly 30lbs of heroin hidden within a vehicle driven by a 25-year-old male U.S. citizen.

More via @CBPSouthTexas: https://t.co/2mQcoY8xEq pic.twitter.com/hTewVEPqbv

— CBP (@CBP) January 21, 2021

The first instance occurred at the Veterans International Bridge on Wednesday when a 21-year-old male applied for entry with his vehicle, according to CBP. Officers allegedly discovered eight packages containing around 13 pounds of a substance resembling methamphetamine and seven packages weighing just over 12 pounds of a substance similar to heroin.

In the second seizure Thursday, a 23-year-old woman allegedly attempted to enter the U.S. through the Brownsville and Matamoros International Bridge, according to CBP. Officers identified 21 packages containing a substance similar to cocaine that weighed almost 50 pounds.

The seized substances were estimated to be worth $377,200 in heroin, $261,906 in methamphetamine and $377,740 in cocaine if they are authentic, according to CBP. The alleged narcotics and vehicles were seized by CBP and the two Americans were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations officials for investigation.