Cocaine confiscated in Ponce, Puerto Rico Photo Credit: U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized in separate incidents 205 pounds (93 kilos) of cocaine during the inspection of vessels arriving to San Juan and Ponce. The estimated value of the seized cocaine is $ 2 million.
“Transnational Criminal Organizations conceal drugs using multiple methods exploiting the international supply chain”, stated Roberto Vaquero, CBP director of field operations in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “Our officers remain vigilant to explore and detect all possible venues that smugglers use.
According to the release, CBP Officers inspecting international cargo arriving to San Juan from Rio Haina, Dominican Republic, on board M/V GERHARD SCHULTE, selected various containers for a more intrusive inspection. A CBP K9 alerted to merchandise inside one container, finding two duffle bags with contraband. The duffle bag had 66.5 kilograms of cocaine.
In Ponce, CBP Officers inspected the vessel M/V DA HUA SHAN. During the inspection a CBP K-9 alerted to a compartment within the vessel.
Officers found 22 rectangular shaped bricks in the compartment which resulted positive to the properties of cocaine. The weight was 26.118 kilograms of cocaine.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) took custody of the contraband for investigation.
CBP’s mission is to safeguard America’s borders thereby protecting the public from dangerous people and materials while enhancing the Nation’s global economic competitiveness by enabling legitimate trade and travel.
