US seizes cocaine shipped from Dominican Republic
In a significant operation in San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized 450 pounds of cocaine hidden within the chassis of a container.
The narcotics were discovered aboard a vessel that had arrived from the Dominican Republic on Tuesday.
Valued at four million dollars
The cocaine stash carried an estimated street value of four million US dollars, highlighting the substantial nature of the drug interception.
This seizure reflects a major blow to the illegal narcotics trade that impacts the region.
Rigorous inspection leads to discovery
During a routine inspection, the San Juan A-TCET Vessel Search Team boarded the vessel. It was during their thorough walk-through that they noticed anomalies within the chassis of a container slated for unlading.
A subsequent, more detailed inspection led to the discovery of 183 bricks of a white powdery substance.
Tests confirmed the substance was cocaine.
