Drug traffickers tried to sneak 17.8 pounds of cocaine into the United States at the Presidio Texas Port of Entry by hiding the drugs in cheese wheels, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.
Officers intercepted the operation Thursday when a pickup truck from Mexico was referred for a secondary inspection. Officers found four wheels of cheese that the driver, a 22-year-old U.S. citizen, declared.
Officers scanned the cheese wheels with an X-ray system and found “anomalies” within the pieces. They then cut open the cheese and found seven bundles filled with cocaine.
Customs and Border Protection seized the drugs and vehicle and the driver was sent to Homeland Security Investigations to face charges.
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“Smugglers will sometimes try to conceal contraband in items that appear innocent to deflect suspicion,” said Presidio Port Director Daniel Mercado in a news release.
“The thorough and extensive inspections performed by CBP officers stopped this unusual drug load from reaching its intended destination.”
