CBP officers at Marcelino Serna port of entry seize cocaine load

TORNILLO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Marcelino Serna port of entry in Tornillo, Texas seized 28.5 pounds of cocaine May 9. The drugs were hidden in a vehicle being driven by a 25-year-old female U.S. citizen. 

“This is a significant amount of cocaine that did not reach its intended destination,” said CBP Marcelino Serna Port Director Eric Fernandez. “Every drug load that CBP stops plays a role in keeping our communities and neighbors safe.”

The seizure was made at approximately 1:30 p.m. when a 2013 Nissan Titan with a single occupant arrived from Mexico. CBP officers selected the vehicle for a secondary exam. 

A CBP drug sniffing dog searched the vehicle and alerted officers to the presence of narcotics. CBP officers continued the exam and located 14 foil-wrapped bundles hidden in the wheel well and dashboard of the vehicle. The contents of the packages tested positive for cocaine. 

CBP officers arrested the driver. She was turned over to the Texas Department of Public Safety to face state charges associated with the failed smuggling attempt.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is America's frontline: the nation's largest law enforcement organization and the world's first unified border management agency. The 65,000+ men and women of CBP protect America on the ground, in the air, and on the seas. We facilitate safe, lawful travel and trade and ensure our country's economic prosperity. We enhance the nation's security through innovation, intelligence, collaboration, and trust.