Hidalgo, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Hidalgo/Reynosa International Bridge seized close to 20 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of nearly $640,000. A few days ago, CBP officers seized a similar amount at the Pharr/Reynosa International Bridge.
On June 30, CBP officers working at the Hidalgo/Reynosa International Bridge came in contact with the driver of a northbound 2000 Ford F-150 pickup truck. After the initial inspection, the driver and vehicle were referred to secondary for an intensive examination.
In secondary officers noticed discrepancies to the F-150’s dashboard. While in secondary, “Oslo”, a narcotic detector dog, alerted officers to the presence of narcotic odors emanating from the pickup truck. A non-intrusive image scan revealed anomalies within the suspected areas. While conducting an intensive examination of the vehicle, officers found eight cocaine packages hidden within the pickup truck’s dashboard.
The driver, identified as Eduardo Gamboa Arellano, a Mexican citizen, age 46 from Austin, Texas was arrested on federal drug charges. After his arrest, Gamboa Arellano was transferred to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents who continue to investigate this failed smuggling attempt. Pending appearance before a U.S. Magistrate, Gamboa Arellano remains incarcerated. CBP officers seized the cocaine and the Ford F-150 pickup truck.
Dave Fluty, CBP acting port director said, “Our officers seized a similar amount of cocaine a few days ago that was also found in the dashboard area.” Fluty further said, “Our K-9 units continue to do great work in alerting to narcotic odors.”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
