In three separate events in the Border Patrol’s Rio Grande Valley Sector, agents seized nearly 560 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of $18 million. Two seizures occurred at a fixed highway checkpoint after routine immigration inspections. The third seizure resulted from a roving patrol stop initiated by Border Patrol agents. The three seizures were reported within hours of each other on Sunday morning.
The first seizure occurred Sunday at the Javier Vega, Jr. Immigration Checkpoint near Sarita, Texas. Agents performing inspection duties discovered 287 pounds of cocaine concealed in a vehicle after a K-9 alerted the agents to the odor of narcotics. The cocaine was determined to have a street value of more than $9 million. The suspects, who have not been identified, are facing federal charges of possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy.
Within hours, the Border Patrol reported another seizure at the same checkpoint after agents, using non-intrusive inspection technology, discovered more than 163 pounds of cocaine concealed within a vehicle attempting to pass through the checkpoint. The cocaine was determined to have a street value of more than $5 million. The occupants of that vehicle, according to the Border Patrol, are also facing federal charges of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy.
A few hours later, Border Patrol agents near Kingsville, Texas, acting on intelligence information, seized more than 111 pounds of cocaine valued at $3.5 million after performing a traffic stop on a highway leading away from the border. Suspects in that case will also face federal charges of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy.
The significant seizures follow the Trump administration’s declaration of several major Mexican drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO). As reported by Breitbart Texas, the U.S. Department of State designated six Mexican drug cartels, the infamous Mara Salvatrucha gang of El Salvador and the violent Venezuelan Tren De Aragua gang, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations on February 19.
The Gulf Cartel was one of the six Mexican cartels named in designation and controls much of the area in Mexico just south of the Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @RandyClarkBBTX.
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