Washington, Jul 10:- US officials seized over 22 kg of cocaine hydrochloride worth USD 1.5 million from an air cargo warehouse near the Miami International Airport, which was being shipped to India from the Dominican Republic.US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials seized the drugs, which were hidden in speakers and amplifiers inside a parcel marked as “music equipment”, an official statement said.The seizures were made as part of Operation Striker Shield launched by the CBP to curb narcotics smuggling during the ongoing FIFA World Cup.
During the inspection, CBP officers discovered eight pouches and four bricks of a white powdery substance concealed within four speakers and two amplifiers, the US CBP statement said on Wednesday. It said officers field-tested the powdery substance, confirming the presence of cocaine hydrochloride. The cocaine weighed a combined 22.35 kilograms. It has a street value of approximately USD 1.5 million, the statement said. “This significant seizure underscores CBP’s unwavering commitment to securing our borders and preventing dangerous narcotics from reaching communities both here and abroad,” said Daniel Alonso, Director of Field Operations for CBP’s Miami and Tampa Field Office. “Operation Striker Shield, combined with the vigilance and expertise of our officers, is effectively disrupting transnational criminal organisations attempting to exploit legitimate trade routes. We will continue to leverage intelligence, advanced targeting, and officer intuition to interdict these illicit shipments,” Alonso said. CBP officers seized the cocaine, and Homeland Security Investigations special agents have launched a probe.
