CBP Officers in Texas Find $3 Million Worth of Dope in 'Empty' Sea Container

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

El Paso, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working anti-terrorism operations at the Bridge of the Americas commercial cargo lot in El Paso discovered 3,343 pounds of marijuana in a sea container yesterday. The huge bales of pot were concealed in a false wall compartment of a sea container being transported by truck from Juarez Chihuahua, Mexico.

On Monday at about 12:15 p.m., a 1993 International tractor arrived at primary inspection. The driver told CBP that he was hauling an empty container but when a CBP primary officer selected the cargo conveyance for an x-ray examination the non-intrusive inspection revealed a false compartment at the front end of the container. CBP narcotics canine “Irwin” was used to inspect the conveyance and alerted to the front wall as well. CBP officers removed 270 large packages of marijuana from the false compartment. No arrests have been made.

“What a success story for our El Paso CBP officers,” said Arthur Gonzales, acting port director in El Paso. “In the last 15 days our officers made two significant seizures that prevented more than two tons of marijuana from entering the U.S.”