Agents of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection or USCBP were able to capture a vehicle carrying over 1 ton of marijuana in Texas. According to authorities, the illegal drugs were wrapped in orange tape to make them look like ordinary carrots.
The USCBP was able to intercept the vehicle carrying the large amount of weed at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge, which connects the U.S. and Mexico. On January 10, members of the law enforcement agency used image scanning to analyze the cargo of the vehicles. This was then followed by a close-up inspection with the help of a specially trained canine team, according to Business Insider.
During the inspection, the operators noticed that many of the carrots being transported by the vehicle looked unusual. Upon examining the vegetables, the USCBP agents noticed that many of them were wrapped in orange tape.
The law enforcers immediately opened the fake-looking carrots and discovered that they have been stuffed with marijuana. Based on the estimates of the USCBP, the total street value of the confiscated illicit substance is about $499,000, Newsweek reported.
All in all, the border agents discovered around 3,000 drug-stuffed carrots in the vehicle. These were then transferred to the beds of two USCBP pick-up trucks.
"Once again, drug smuggling organizations have demonstrated their creativity in attempting to smuggle large quantities of narcotics across the U.S./Mexico border," Efrain Solis Jr., the director of the Hidalgo, Pharr and Anzalduas Port of Entry said in a press release.
"Our officers are always ready to meet those challenges and remain vigilant towards any type of illicit activities," he added.
According to the USCBP, they have already notified the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations regarding the bust and the two agencies are currently working on the details of the case. It is not yet clear if the confiscated drugs are related to any of the major cartels operating in Mexico.
