DEL RIO, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Highway 57 immigration checkpoint in Eagle Pass seized 78.2 pounds of cocaine worth $869,750 from a commercial bus Thursday.
“Drug trafficking organizations rely on profits from illicit substances to fuel their illegal operations,” said Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent Felix Chavez. “A seizure of this magnitude not only takes this harmful substance off American streets, but it also deals a costly blow to the cartels. I commend all agents and personnel who played a role in this noteworthy seizure.”
On April 19, agents assigned to the Eagle Pass South Station conducted a routine inspection of a commercial travel bus as it stopped at the station’s immigration checkpoint. With the help of a Border Patrol canine team, agents located multiple packages of cocaine that had been hidden inside a compartment of the bus. Federal law allowed agents to seize the contraband and the bus, which were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations. At this time, no suspects have been charged in relation to this case.
The Del Rio Border Patrol Sector is part of the Joint Task Force-West South Texas Corridor, which leverages federal, state and local resources to combat transnational criminal organizations. To report suspicious activity call the Del Rio Sector’s toll free number at 1-866-511-8727.