CBP Seizes Significant Loads Of Meth This Weekend At Laredo Port of Entry

Laredo, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Laredo Port of Entry seized two loads of methamphetamine with a combined street value of nearly $400,000 this weekend. The two cases were almost identical in many details.

The larger of the two seizures during the 72-hour period occurred March 10 at Gateway to the Americas Bridge. Officers referred a 1995 Nissan Sentra driven by Arturo Palencia, 20, a U.S. citizen from Laredo for a secondary examination. During the examination, CBP officers noted discrepancies in a battery in the vehicle trunk.

CBP Canine “Darco” alerted to the odor of narcotics emanating from the trunk area and a X-ray image indicated anomalies in the same area. Upon further examination, officers discovered packages of methamphetamine in the battery and seized a total of 17.15 pounds of methamphetamine. The methamphetamine has an estimated street value of about $257,000. CBP officers arrested Palencia on federal drug charges and turned him over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents who investigated the seizure.