DRUG BUST: 2 Tons of Marijuana Worth Almost $10 Million at TX Border
A massive drug bust occurred this past Friday, September 5th at Laredo's World Trade Bridge. The seizure occurred on Thursday, Sept. 14 at the World Trade Bridge, when a CBP officer referred a 2023 Freightliner tractor-trailer manifesting home goods for secondary inspection. Following a thorough examination that included using a non-intrusive inspection system, CBP officers discovered 177 packages containing 4,466 pounds of alleged marijuana within the trailer. The narcotics had a street value of $9,904,204.
“Our CBP officers continue to maintain strict vigilance in our cargo environment and this week they came up big, with a seizure of more than two tons of marijuana,” said Port Director Albert Flores, Laredo Port of Entry. “We have not seen as much marijuana lately compared to the harder narcotics but it underscores the ever-changing nature of the drug threat our officers face on a daily basis.”
FENTANYL FACTS:
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It is a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the U.S. There are two types of fentanyl: pharmaceutical fentanyl and illicitly manufactured fentanyl. Both are considered synthetic opioids. Pharmaceutical fentanyl is prescribed by doctors to treat severe pain, especially after surgery and for advanced-stage cancer.
Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the most common drugs involved in overdose deaths.1 Even in small doses, it can be deadly. Over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.2
Drugs may contain deadly levels of fentanyl, and you wouldn’t be able to see it, taste it, or smell it. It is nearly impossible to tell if drugs have been laced with fentanyl unless you test your drugs with fentanyl test strips.