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FIRST ON FOX: Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers made a $10 million drug bust on Monday during an inspection of a commercial tractor trailer transporting cabbage at the Pharr Port of Entry, a bridge near the southernmost part of Texas.
A canine inspection and nonintrusive imaging scan led officers to a hidden load inside the trailer, CBP said. A physical search uncovered 477 packages containing 1,173 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of $10,787,500.
“This interception is a powerful reminder that our CBP officers are on duty 24/7, employing every resource to detect and deter those who attempt to exploit our borders,” Carlos Rodriguez, Port Director for the Hidalgo Port of Entry, said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
CBP seized the narcotics and commercial truck.
COCAINE WORTH OVER $1.1M SEIZED FROM ‘EMPTY’ TRUCK AT TEXAS BORDER
Border patrol agents seized packages containing approximately 73 pounds of alleged cocaine at Hidalgo Port of Entry at the Texas-Mexico border. (Customs and Border Patrol)
The haul continues to illustrate the smuggling threat faced by the country even amid historic investments in border security and record-breaking staffing levels at CBP.
Republicans in Congress have flooded the agency with cash through President Donald Trump’s signature Big Beautiful Bill as well as recent efforts to fund the Department of Homeland Security through the end of the administration. The two bills included $64 billion and $26 billion for CBP, respectively. A large portion of the second bill is set aside for agency manpower.
U.S. Border Patrol agent Nicole Ballistrea watches over the U.S.-Mexico border fence on December 9, 2014 in Nogales, Arizona. With increased manpower and funding in recent years, the Border Patrol has seen the number illegal crossings and apprehensions of undocumented immigrants decrease in the Tucson sector. Agents are waiting to see if the improved U.S. economy and housing construction will again draw more immigrants from the south. (John Moore / Getty Images)
Earlier this year, CBP announced it had broken staffing records, reaching 21,471 officers — the most in the agency’s 102-year history.
At the same time, since the end of 2024, border crossings have fallen dramatically, going from over 144,000 encounters in December 2024 to just 13,500 in May — a 90% reduction.
Despite the heavy investments, CBP and other federal agencies remain engaged in intercepting more organized smuggling operations that threaten to bring drugs, weapons and people illegally into the country.
BORDER AGENTS UNCOVER $3.7M IN COCAINE MASQUERADING AS A CUCUMBER DELIVERY
More than 430 pounds of cocaine and methamphetamine were discovered in hidden parts of vehicles by U.S. Customs and Border Protection authorities, April 7-8. (CBP)
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In April, for example, CBP announced it had prevented a car carrying a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, 16 AK rifles, 24 rifle magazines, 16 rifle stocks, 20 pistol grips, and other weapon parts from crossing the border.
“The threat of illicit narcotics is constant, but so is our vigilance,” Rodriguez said.