Smugglers will try just about anything to sneak their drugs into the United States. Unfortunately for them, they aren’t always very good at it. Such was the case recently in Laredo, Texas, when one truck driver lost $16 million worth of alleged meth to the feds.

The massive seizure occurred when U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers pulled a box truck over for secondary inspection. Using a canine team and a non-intrusive inspection system, the officers discovered more than $16 million worth of alleged methamphetamine.

The box truck was supposed to be carrying a shipment of plaster vases, and it was. It was also secretly bringing a total of 1,792.79 pounds of alleged meth into the U.S. over the Colombia-Solidarity Bridge. The drugs were seized by CBP officers, and Homeland Security Investigations special agents began an investigation.

“Our frontline CBP officers remain ever vigilant and through an effective combination of applying technology and inspection experience, they interdicted this significant load of hard narcotics,” said Port Director Alberto Flores, Laredo Port of Entry. “Seizures like these reflect the seriousness of the drug threat we face on a daily basis and our resolve to maintain a robust enforcement posture to disrupt would-be smuggling attempts and prevent this poison from reaching U.S. streets.”

Massive drug seizures like this are more common than one might realize

Last week’s $16 million drug seizure in Laredo, Texas, matched another that took place at the World Trade Bridge in September. In that bust, another $16 million in alleged methamphetamine was found hidden in a shipment of frozen mangos by CBP Office of Field Operations officers.

Using a non-intrusive inspection system scan and a canine sweep of the vehicle, authorities discovered the drugs. In that case, officers found that a tractor-trailer contained 733 packages with 1,790.59 pounds of alleged methamphetamine. CBP officers again seized the drugs, and special agents from Homeland Security Investigations initiated an investigation.

“It is not unusual to encounter hard narcotics comingled with fresh produce, and our officers employed an effective combination of targeting and high-tech tools to take down this significant methamphetamine load,” said Port Director Alberto Flores, Laredo Port of Entry.