Agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently busted two Mexican Nationals attempting to traffic millions in cocaine into the U.S.
Authorities stopped a white Honda Odyssey at Interstate 35’s checkpoint near Laredo, Texas, Sunday and flagged the vehicle for further inspection after a K-9 indicated there was a drug odor coming from inside. During a subsequent search of the minivan, border agents discovered 22 bundles of cocaine weighing roughly 53 pounds, News 4 San Antonio reported.
The drug haul carries a street value of more than $1.7 million, officials estimated. The suspects, both in the U.S. illegally from Mexico, were placed in the custody of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
“The vigilance of the men and women of the United States Border Patrol in disrupting the flow of narcotics attests to our commitment in keeping America and its communities safe,” Assistant Chief Patrol Agent Gabriel Acosta said, according to News 4 San Antonio.
Large quantities of narcotics continue to infiltrate the U.S. due to traffickers’ relentless efforts. However, the Department of Justice under Attorney General Jeff Sessions is gaining ground against drug movers taking advantage of America’s addiction crisis.
U.S. attorney Mike Stuart, serving the Southern District of West Virginia, announced April 17 charges against nearly 100 individuals involved in a massive drug trafficking ring operating in West Virginia and Michigan. The investigation, dubbed Operation Saigon Sunset, targeted the multi-state Peterson Drug Trafficking Organization and involved more than 200 law enforcement officers from federal, state and local levels.
Drug overdoses are the leading cause of accidental death for Americans under age 50, killing more than 64,000 people in 2016.
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