Customs and Border Protection Officers Seize $350,000 in Heroin at Brownsville Port of Entry

Brownsville, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Gateway International Bridge seized three and a half pounds of alleged heroin in a northbound alleged smuggling attempt. CBP officers discovered alleged heroin valued at approximately $350,000 hidden within canned food items.

“As would-be alleged smugglers attempt to bring these illicit drugs into the country, Brownsville’s CBP officers use every tool available to them as they safeguard our borders. I congratulate our officers for this seizure and the arrest of this alleged smuggler,” said Michael Freeman, CBP Port Director, Brownsville Port of Entry. 

On Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at Gateway International Bridge a CBP officer conducting northbound inspections intercepted a man identified as a 39-year old United States citizen and resident of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico arriving at the port of entry on a bicycle carrying a backpack of grocery items. The CBP officers’ examination resulted in the discovery of three cans each holding one package of alleged heroin. CBP officers removed the three packages which held a combined total weight of 1.58 kilograms (5.5 pounds) of alleged heroin.

The alleged heroin from this seizure has an estimated street value of approximately $350,000. 

CBP officers seized the narcotics and turned the man over to U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents for further investigation.

-CBP-

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.