‘Significant amount’ of cocaine seized at Eagle Pass border crossing

McALLEN, Texas ( Border Report ) — A Mexican national has been arrested for allegedly hiding $815,300 worth of cocaine in an SUV and trying to enter Eagle Pass, Texas, from Mexico, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said Wednesday.

The drugs totaling 61 pounds were seized Sunday at the Eagle Pass International Bridge, officers said.

The bridge, which is commonly called Bridge 1, connects the South Texas border city to Piedras Negras, Mexico.

A 24-year-old Mexican national has been arrested for driving the 2016 Ford Explorer, which CBP officers say had 32 packages of drugs hidden within the vehicle.

“These kinds of seizures underscore the reality of the drug threat and the importance of CBP’s border security mission,” Eagle Pass CBP Port Director Pete Beattie said in a statement. “Our frontline CBP officers utilized an effective combination of inspection skill, training, experience and technology and seized a significant amount of cocaine.”

This is the second major seizure of cocaine that CBP officers made in two days at ports in South Texas.

On Saturday, a 21-year-old Dallas woman was arrested after CBP officials say she tried to drive over 50 pounds of cocaine into Brownsville, Texas, from Matamoros, Mexico, hidden inside a car.

Officers intercepted the car and seized the drugs, which has a street value of $675,000.

Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.

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