Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks breaks down the sharp decline in illegal crossings, pointing to stricter enforcement and a shift in policy under President Donald Trump.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents discovered and seized over $3.7 million worth of cocaine in what was supposed to be a shipment of cucumbers last Wednesday.
Agents at the Pharr International Bridge near the southernmost point of Texas discovered 112 packages in a tractor-trailer after a canine inspection and a subsequent nonintrusive imaging system scan revealed anomalies in the vehicle.
CBP officials seized the load, totaling 278.88 pounds — a haul with a $3,723,654 street value, according to the agency.
HIDDEN TUNNEL DISCOVERED IN TIJUANA MAY HAVE SUPPORTED CROSS-BORDER TRAFFICKING OPERATIONS
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 stopped shipment, just one of many shipments traffickers have tried to mask as other merchandise, highlights how smuggling remains a challenge for law enforcement along the U.S. border — even as illegal border crossings have plummeted to record lows.
According to Port Director Carols Rodriguez, who manages the Hidalgo Port of Entry, it’s one of the many reasons CBP must maintain high levels of scrutiny.
"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," Rodriguez said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION NAMES ROSARIO 'PETE' VASQUEZ TO SERVE AS NEXT US BORDER PATROL CHIEF
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 appr
