Willie R. Tubbs, FISM News
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It is unlikely that any reasonable person doubts the severity of the crime at the U.S. southern border, but a weekend press release from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) left little room for even the most ardent apologist to find a defense.
Border agents near Laredo, Texas, seized $18.6 million in crystal methamphetamine that was found in an 18-wheeler crossing from Mexico into the United States, according to a Saturday release.
“Officers at the Laredo Port of Entry have heightened their enforcement strategy when targeting these high-risk commodities, successfully disrupting the flow of deadly narcotics from entering our country,” Port Director Albert Flores, Laredo Port of Entry, said in the release. “This exceptional drug bust was an outstanding operation that highlights CBP’s commitment in combatting the crimes carried out by transnational criminal organizations.”
On social media, Customs and Border Protection South Texas was a bit less formal, stating that they had confiscated the “Mother Lode of Meth.”
Mother Lode of Meth: @DFOLaredo @CBP officers at World Trade Bridge in #Laredo seize $18.6M in methamphetamine in truck hauling paint buckets. @HSI_SanAntonio is investigating. Read more: https://t.co/cHPyf130Zj pic.twitter.com/lSW7w3t21z
— CBP South Texas (@CBPSouthTexas) November 5, 2022
According to the release, the discovery was made on Nov. 1 during an inspection. A canine was used and the methamphetamine was discovered shortly after.
This is just the latest in a long string of drug busts along the U.S.-Mexico border. On Nov. 4, CBP announced agents in Calexico, California, seized 486 pounds of methamphetamine that had been stashed in the support beams of railcars.
“Using natural compartments on railcars is only one of the methods used by transnational criminal organizations to evade detection,” said Jennifer De La O, CBP Director of Field Operations for the San Diego Field Office. “Our CBP officers work hard every day to intercept contraband which shows their commitment and vigilance to the CBP mission.”
As serious as meth is — and to be sure it has destroyed countless lives — it isn’t even the most prevalent or most dangerous drug on the border.
That distinction belongs to fentanyl, which is being funneled into the U.S. daily.
“DPS has seized enough fentanyl to kill every man, woman, and child in the U.S.,” a tweet from the Texas Department of Safety reads. “To combat the rise in fentanyl across TX, DPS continues to combat the smuggling of this deadly drug into our state, particularly as part of Operation Lone Star.”
Stopping the flow of fentanyl has become central to the plans of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who launched an anti-fentanyl initiative earlier this year.
Although he did not address the “mother lode” bust directly, Abbott did go on Twitter to boast of his state’s success in combating crime at the southern border.
“We’re protecting America in Biden’s absence,” a tweet on Abbott’s personal account reads in part.
Texas is taking unprecedented action to secure our border.#OperationLoneStar has led to:
▪️ Over 21.4K arrests
▪️ Over 350M lethal fentanyl doses seized
▪️ Over 12,900 migrants bused to sanctuary citiesWe're protecting America in Biden's absence.https://t.co/J4IqlRREKm
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) November 7, 2022
The same tweet reveals that Operation Lone Star has resulted in more than 21,000 arrests and the seizure of more than 350 million doses of fentanyl.