CBP Officers Seize Cocaine at Del Rio International Bridge

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Del Rio International Bridge discovered nearly 10 pounds of suspected narcotics hidden inside a car battery yesterday.

According to a press release, on June 12, CBP officers working at the Del Rio Port of Entry encountered a 46-year-old man driving a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. The officers inspected the man’s vehicle as he arrived in the United States from Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila, Mexico. During inspection, CBP officers noticed signs of tampering on the car’s battery. Officers used a non-intrusive imaging system to examine the battery and discovered seven packages of suspected narcotics hidden inside. CBP officers removed a total of 9.87 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated value of $76,100, from the battery.

The driver, a Mexican citizen who resides in Del Rio, was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for federal prosecution.

“This is yet another example of smugglers going to extreme lengths to import drugs into the country," said Del Rio CBP Port Director Alberto D. Perez. "Our frontline CBP officers’ experience and attention to detail are essential in interdicting illegal narcotics.”

CBP’s Del Rio Port of Entry is part of the Joint Task Force-West South Texas Corridor, which leverages federal, state and local resources to combat transnational criminal organizations.