CBP officers at Texas’ Pharr International Bridge cargo facility seized over $6.2 million worth of cocaine hidden in a shipment of plastic wrap. The massive drug bust represents one of the larger seizures in recent months along the southern border.
Officers discovered the drugs on Wednesday, March 5, when they flagged a commercial tractor trailer entering the U.S. from Mexico for additional screening. During secondary inspection — which included specialized scanning equipment and canine units — agents uncovered 150 packages of alleged cocaine weighing a total of 470.68 pounds carefully concealed within rolls of plastic wrap.
Customs and Border Protection
“Large cocaine seizures like this not only underscore the seriousness of the drug threat our frontline CBP officers face every day but also the effectiveness of applying inspection experience and technology to zero in and take down this load, preventing it from reaching U.S. streets,” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry.
The seized narcotics have an estimated street value of $6,284,586.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Officers turned over the tractor trailer, drugs, and driver to Texas Department of Public Safety, who arrested the driver and launched a criminal investigation. The case highlights the ongoing challenges faced by border officers as smugglers continually adapt their concealment methods.
This wasn’t the only recent cocaine interception in the region.
Just days earlier, CBP agents at the nearby Anzalduas International Bridge stopped a 2015 Chevy Traverse for inspection. Using similar detection methods — non-intrusive scanning systems and specialized drug-sniffing dogs — officers found 10 packages containing 25.92 pounds of alleged cocaine hidden within the SUV. These drugs carried an estimated street value of $346,167.
In this case, agents seized both the narcotics and vehicle, with Homeland Security Investigations taking over the criminal probe into the attempted smuggling operation.
“Our frontline CBP officers continue to remain agile and focused on CBP border security mission and that attention to detail contributed to this significant cocaine seizure,” said Port Director Rodriguez. “Seizures like these continue to illustrate CBP’s ongoing commitment to keeping our border communities safe.”
The Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge serves as one of the busiest ports for commercial traffic along the U.S.-Mexico border, processing thousands of vehicles daily — creating both economic opportunity and security challenges for border officials.