‘Gargantuan’ Seizure of Meth Worth $117 Million at Texas-Mexico Bridge: Border Officials

Border officials in Texas made the largest-ever seizure of methamphetamine at a port of entry when they interdicted over 13,000 pounds of the illegal drug hidden in a trailer crossing a bridge over the Rio Grande last weekend.

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On Sunday, Feb. 18, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Camino Real International Bridge in Eagle Pass, Texas conducted a secondary inspection of a tractor trailer that appeared to be carrying a shipment of a swine drying agent used on newborn piglets.

When conducting their canine search and scan of the tractor trailer, however, CBP officers discovered a total of six and a half tons (13,101 lbs.) of methamphetamine in the trailer’s conveyance.

According to CBP, that amount of methamphetine has an estimated street value of $117.1 million.

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“This gargantuan methamphetamine seizure, the largest ever taken down by CBP officers at a port of entry, uniquely illustrates the serious narcotics threat our officers face on a daily basis and their effectiveness at utilizing our technological enforcement tools, expertise and experience to zero-in on these threats,” CBP’s Laredo, Texas Director of Field Operations Donald Kusser said Thursday.

“This seizure exemplifies our officers’ steadfast commitment to advancing CBP’s priority border security mission while facilitating lawful trade and travel,” Kusser said.

CBP seized the narcotics, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents are investigating the seizure.

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“For far too long, drug trafficking organizations have been raking in billions of dollars at the expense of our communities that are left ravaged by addiction, death and despair as a result of these poisonous substances,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson.

“Thanks to the outstanding teamwork between HSI Houston, HSI Eagle Pass, HSI Mexico City and our partners at CBP, we have prevented a record-breaking amount of these narcotics from making it to Houston where they would have destroyed an untold number of lives,” Dawson said.