Large Methamphetamine Seizure at Del Rio Port of Entry

On September 28, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers intercepted a significant amount of methamphetamine hidden in a vehicle at the Del Rio Port of Entry. The attempt to smuggle the drugs into the United States from Mexico fell apart during a more thorough inspection by CBP officers.

The event unfolded when a man driving a 2018 Ford Transit van approached the Del Rio International Bridge for inspection. Initially, officers conducted a basic check on both the driver and the vehicle. However, they decided to conduct a secondary inspection for a more detailed examination.

Employing non-intrusive scanning technology, officers detected an unusual spot in the cargo van’s driver’s side quarter panel. Further investigation revealed 81 packages containing a substance suspected to be methamphetamine concealed within that area. After retrieving and weighing the packages, CBP reported that they totaled 64.73 pounds, with an estimated street value of around $595,185.

The driver, a 59-year-old man, was found to be a lawful permanent resident alien. CBP secured the drugs as evidence for the prosecution of the driver. The man is now in the custody of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which is continuing its inquiry into the matter.

Del Rio Port Director Liliana Flores praised the seizure, asserting, “Stopping hard narcotics at our ports of entry is a top priority, and this seizure highlights the exceptional work being done by our officers every single day. This successful methamphetamine interception proves that our layered enforcement strategy is working precisely as intended to safeguard our nation.”

Since October, CBP has reported seizing 146,000 pounds of methamphetamine across nearly 3,000 separate enforcement events. The bulk of these seizures occurred during smuggling interdictions conducted by both CBP officers and U.S. Border Patrol agents along the southwest border with Mexico.

The CBP Laredo Field Office, which oversees the Del Rio Port of Entry, has accounted for nearly 30 percent of all methamphetamine seizures in the region since October. Some of these seizures have amounted to millions of dollars in street value, posing a substantial challenge to cartels attempting to distribute the drugs to major U.S. cities. For instance, in August, CBP officers in Laredo, Texas, seized over $2.5 million worth of methamphetamine in one smuggling incident.