EXCLUSIVE: $1.2 Million in Cocaine Seized at Texas Border with Mexico

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers discovered more than $1.2 million worth of cocaine in just two events at the Hidalgo and Pharr, Texas, international bridges. The events occurred within days of each other and highlight recent attempts by Mexican drug cartels to use land ports of entry as they struggle to operate under the tighter border security measures put in place by the Trump administration.

On Sunday, CBP officers at the Hidalgo International Bridge cargo facility became suspicious of a Honda sedan attempting to enter the United States from Reynosa, Mexico. Officers referred the vehicle to a secondary inspection area for a more thorough examination.

Officers conducted an enhanced inspection using nonintrusive technology and screened the vehicle with a canine team. Nonintrusive inspection showed anomalies within the vehicle, and the CBP canine team alerted officers after detecting the odor of narcotics. A physical inspection of the vehicle resulted