350 Pounds of Meth Worth Millions Seized by Texas Border Agents

Over the weekend, border agents intercepted a drug trafficking scheme at the Brownsville Port of Entry, seizing over $3 million worth of methamphetamine in a single bust.

According to a release from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Field Operation officers apprehended a 2006 Ford after the vehicle was sent to further examination following the primary inspection.

Officers, suspicious of the vehicle and any potentially illegal cargo, sent canine units to inspect. Through the aid of the dogs and specialized non-intrusive inspection systems (NII), 355.36 pounds of methamphetamine was discovered.

If this large quantity made it to its destination, the estimated street value of such a haul would be about $3,267,643.

How Does Border Patrol Inspect Suspicious Vehicles?

There are multiple ways that vehicles are inspected for illegal substances along the Texas border.

A common strategy is the deployment of NII technology. Non-intrusive inspection tech allows border agents to detect contraband and "materials that pose potential nuclear and radiological threats", according to cbp.gov.

NII technology consists of large machines that offer a hands-free look inside large containers or vehicles--kinda like when you go through security at an airport and your bags get stopped for further inspection... why is it always me?

Another way that U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspects vehicles entering the country is through the use of canine units. According to cbp.gov, there are multiple "disciplines" that are taught to these dogs.

The three main areas of canine use are as follows:

• Concealed Human and Narcotic Detection
  • These dogs are taught to sniff out marijuana, cocaine, heroin, meth, hashish, and ecstacy
• Search and Rescue
• Tracking/Trailing

U.S. Customs and Border Protection apprehend illegal narcotics and other substances every day, but, as this story proves, some seizures are much larger than others.