EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) — Hold the ketchup.
Smugglers got a little fancy when they hid hundreds of cylindrical bundles of marijuana inside buckets of ketchup bound for the U.S. from Mexico, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a news release.
On July 17, border officers and drug-sniffing dogs assigned to the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge inspected the tractor-trailer in the cargo facility and found nearly 4 tons of pot worth an estimated $1.5 million.
“While drug smuggling organizations try to be creative in finding ways to conceal their illicit merchandise, CBP officers continue to effectively apply inspection skills and technology to prevent narcotics from crossing our borders,” Port Director Carlos Rodriguez said in a statement.
Homeland Security Investigations took over the case, according to the release.
Border crime
- Border officers discover $1.4 million worth of meth hidden in a shipment of green onions
- $3 million worth of meth found in tractor-trailer hauling tile into South Texas
- CBP officers find nearly $4 million worth of meth in shipment of fresh produce
- US teen attempts to smuggle meth under his clothing at South Texas border crossing
- US citizen tried to drive across border in car packed with meth
- $11 million in liquid meth found under passenger bus at Texas border crossing
- Woman hides bundles of meth in her body in 1 of 3 drug busts in El Paso
- Seizure of remote-controlled drones linked to large Chinese shipment of counterfeit items
- Border officials warn of increase in fake, prohibited COVID-19 products
- Border officers seize 1,000-year-old Iranian artifact
- Instead of limes, California border officers find 5.5 tons of marijuana
- Teen caught smuggling 7 kilos of cocaine at El Paso border crossing
- $2.4 million worth of meth hidden in saw machine, CBP says
- Texas woman, 20, stashes load of meth inside Ford pickup, CBP says
- Grenade launcher, smoke bombs seized as holiday weekend kicked off at El Paso ports
- Game wardens seize illegally obtained seafood at South Texas border crossing
- Border officers seize over 3,000 pounds of marijuana in broccoli shipment
- 1,000 fake COVID-19 test kits seized at NM border crossing
- CBP: Man tries to walk past border crossing with heroin, meth, oxycodone in his jeans
- 10 wanted fugitives arrested during weekend at TX, NM border crossings
- CBP stops two vehicles full of bologna at El Paso ports of entry
- CBP: Alleged smuggler lined inside of pickup bed with 334 pounds of pot
- Alleged drug smuggler has COVID-19 and ties to cartel, CBP says
- Fugitives keep CBP officers busy during Mother’s Day weekend
- Cocaine and meth in the millions seized at South Texas checkpoints
- Border agents encounter smugglers armed with AR-15 in Arizona
- Dolls seized after border officers find ‘Ambien’ pills hidden inside one
- Meth, stolen SUV intercepted at separate NM Border Patrol checkpoints
- Teen girl stashes load of meth inside portable speaker box, CBP says
- Special agents seize unauthorized COVID-19 test kits, diluted cleaning supplies at El Paso border
- Man found hiding under load of furniture at NM border crossing
- CBP officers find 300 pounds of pot in commercial truck at Santa Teresa port
- CBP: Pedestrian attempts crossing border, drugs hidden inside her body
- 74-year-old cocaine smuggler stopped at El Paso port of entry, CBP says
- Replica grenade among weapons, ammo seized en route to Mexico
- Border officers seize batch of thermometers, not FDA-approved
- CBP officers arrest teenager with 15 pounds of meth in Cadillac
- Tractor-trailers carrying $8.7 million in meth, pot stopped at South Texas border crossing
- Clorox bottles filled with water seized at Texas border crossing
- Odd little things: CBP airport inspectors keep potentially hazardous items out and grounded
- CBP officers seize fake COVID-19 test kits at LAX
- Mexican man found hiding inside back seat of car at California border crossing
- Dallas mom, teen son stash $3 million worth of meth and heroin in tires of SUV, CBP says
- South Texas border officers intercept nearly $6 million worth of cocaine, meth
- Bologna bust: Border officers seize prohibited pork product
- Liquid cocaine in shampoo bottles seized, CBP says
- Corn pest: Border officers detect snout weevil for first time in agricultural shipment
- CBP: 2nd mom tries to smuggle meth through same California checkpoint
- Woman hid load of meth inside her body, CBP says
- 2 women attempt to smuggle thousands of rounds of ammunition into Mexico, CBP says
- $6 million in liquid meth seized at South Texas border crossings
- ‘Huge’ load of liquid meth seized at El Paso border crossing
- South Texas border officers intercept nearly $6 million worth of cocaine, meth
