A shipment of baby wipes at the Colombia-Solidarity Bridge turned out to be something quite different: $11.8 million worth of cocaine, CNN reports.
In a statement released by officers of the United States Customs and Border Protection, the narcotics were seized at the Colombia-Solidarity Bridge, according to a news release.
The Customs and Border Protection bridge connects Texas and the Mexican state of Nuevo Laredo over the Rio Grande, just north of Laredo, Texas.
Officers from CBP’s Office of Field Operations sent a trailer truck, which claimed to be carrying only baby wipes, for a second inspection. Then, a canine and “non-intrusive” inspection resulted in the discovery of 1,935 packages with around 1,533 pounds of alleged cocaine, says the release.
The Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers seized the cocaine in one enforcement action over the weekend that totalled over $11,800,000 in street value, the Press release says.
“Officers assigned to CBP cargo facilities ensure effective border security by preventing and countering the flow of suspected narcotics entering the country,” said Port Director Alberto Flores, Laredo Port of Entry.
“This seizure is a prime example of border security management and how it helps prevent dangerous narcotics from reaching our communities.”
The seizure occurred on Friday, August 26, 2022, at the Colombia-Solidarity Bridge when a CBP officer referred a 2016 Stoughton trailer manifesting a shipment of baby wipes for a secondary inspection. The truck was referred for a canine and non-intrusive inspection system examination, resulting in the discovery of 1,935 packages containing 1,532.65 pounds of alleged cocaine within the shipment.
CBP seized the narcotics. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) special agents are investigating the seizure.