Over 1,500 pounds of cocaine, that was hidden in a shipment of baby wipes, was discovered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers.
The agency stated that on last Friday, a narcotics seizure took place at the Laredo-Colombia Solidarity International Bridge. This is on the U.S.-Mexico border, and the bridge connects Laredo, Texas, above the Rio Grande to the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon.
Authorities say that a CBP official at the bridge inspected a tractor-trailer that was transporting a shipment of baby wipes after an initial inspection.
When that was conducted, the drug-sniffing dogs found 1,935 packages of cocaine which amounted to 1,532 pounds. This is a street value of $11.8 million.
“Officers assigned to CBP cargo facilities ensure effective border security by preventing and countering the flow of suspected narcotics entering the country,” said the director for the Laredo Port of Entry, Alberto Flores.
“The seizure is the prime example of border security management and how it helps prevent dangerous narcotics from reaching our communities,” Flores continued.
The seizure is still being investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security special agents.
