Officers with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations officers at Pharr International Bridge recently seized more than $5.1 million in methamphetamine in a shipment of fresh vegetables.

The seizure occurred June 30 at the Pharr International Bridge in Laredo, Texas when a CBP officer referred a tractor-trailer hauling a shipment of cucumbers and bell peppers for secondary inspection.

CBP officers conducted a secondary examination that included utilization of a non-intrusive inspection system and CBP canines. Upon further physical examination, CBP officers discovered 360 packages containing a total of 577.61 pounds of alleged methamphetamine within the trailer. The narcotics had a street value of $5,163,496.

CBP seized the narcotics. Homeland Security Investigations special agents initiated a criminal investigation. 

“Our frontline CBP officers continue to deploy a strategic combination of inspections experience coupled with technology and that effort yielded this significant methamphetamine seizure,” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Laredo Port of Entry “These types of seizures illustrate CBP’s efforts to protect our communities from the spread of hard narcotics.”