WASHINGTON, USA – Air and Marine Operations (AMO) coordinated with international partners in late September to investigate a location potentially used by a suspect aircraft in Mexico. Mexican authorities responded and seized more than 2,000 pounds of narcotics, denying transnational criminal organizations an estimated $3.9 million.
Mexican authorities seized 2,028 pounds of methamphetamine, 75 pounds of cocaine, 49 pounds of fentanyl, four pounds of marijuana, one aircraft, three vehicles, and a firearm.
AMO’s domain awareness capabilities, coupled with ongoing partnerships with federal and international law enforcement authorities, continue to enhance information and intelligence sharing, target identification, and interdiction of criminal activity within the interior of partner nations by local authorities.
AMO safeguards our nation by anticipating and confronting security threats through our aviation and maritime law enforcement expertise, innovative capabilities, and partnerships at the border and beyond. With approximately 1,800 federal agents and mission support personnel, 240 aircraft and 300 marine vessels operating throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands, AMO serves as the nation’s experts in airborne and maritime law enforcement.
In Fiscal Year 2020, AMO enforcement actions resulted in the seizure or disruption of 194,220 pounds of cocaine, 278,492 pounds of marijuana, 15,985 pounds of methamphetamine, 952 weapons and $51.5 million as well as 1,066 arrests and 47,872 apprehensions of undocumented migrants.
Laredo CBP officers seize hard narcotics worth over $1.1 million
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers seized narcotics in two enforcement actions that totaled over $1,100,000 in street value.
“Throughout the pandemic, the dedicated employees of CBP have continued to fulfill the agency’s border security role,” said Port Director Alberto Flores, Laredo Port of Entry. “Enforcement operations such as these protect the American people, safeguard our borders, and advance our national security priorities.”
The first enforcement action occurred on September 23, 2021, at the World Trade Bridge, after CBP officers encountered a commercial truck manifesting tortilla pressing machines arriving from Mexico. The 2021 Chevy Silverado and trailer were referred for a canine and non-intrusive imaging system inspection, resulting in the discovery of seven packages containing 14.63 pounds of alleged methamphetamine within the commodity. The narcotics have an estimated street value of $292,770.
The second enforcement action occurred on September 30, 2021, at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge, after a CBP officer referred a 2015 Ford Transit 350 arriving from Mexico for a secondary inspection. Following a canine and non-intrusive imaging system inspection, CBP officers discovered a total of 35 packages containing 87.73 pounds of alleged cocaine and five packages containing 12.25 pounds of alleged fentanyl within the vehicle. The narcotics combined have an estimated street value of $812,370.
The narcotics in both seizures combined have an estimated street value of $1,105,140
CBP seized the narcotics, trailer, and the vehicle in connection with the alleged smuggling attempts. The cases were turned over to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) special agents for further investigation.
