Drug bust: Officers seize $4.2 million in cocaine at U.S.-Mexico border

LAREDO, Texas (Gray News) - Officers at the U.S.-Mexico border say they busted another large cocaine shipment attempting to enter the country this week.

According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, field operation officers at a port of entry in Laredo seized cocaine valued at $4.2 million within a tractor-trailer on Tuesday.

“Our frontline officers have displayed an unparalleled commitment to CBP’s priority border security mission, seizing a fourth significant cocaine load in the cargo environment this week,” said Laredo Port of Entry Director Alberto Flores.

Authorities said Tuesday’s bust was at the World Trade Bridge and involved a tractor-trailer hauling a shipment of plastic ethylene sheets. Officers referred the tractor-trailer for a secondary inspection, where 209 packages containing 545 pounds of alleged cocaine were discovered.

The agency said the narcotics had an estimated street value of $4.2 million.

“These seizures illustrate the gravity of the narcotics threat we are facing and the effective application of CBP officer inspections experience, resources and technology,” Flores said.

The narcotics were seized and officials said the incident was under further investigation.