CBP Seizes $455K in Drugs at Laredo Border Crossing
If you are a non-citizen and you are arrested at a US port of entry, contact an immigration lawyer right away — a criminal arrest can affect your visa, green card application, or work permit. Do not carry items across the border for other people. If you are placed in removal proceedings, you may have the right to an immigration bond hearing.
What Happened at the Laredo Border Crossing
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized cocaine and ketamine worth more than $455,000 at the Laredo Port of Entry in Texas. The seizure happened on May 22, 2026, at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge. A 75-year-old male U.S. citizen was arrested after the drugs were found in his vehicle.
A CBP officer first stopped the driver for a secondary inspection. The driver was traveling in a 2011 Volvo XC60. Officers used a trained drug-detection dog and a non-invasive scanning system to search the vehicle. They found 14 packages holding 32.84 pounds of alleged cocaine and 288.1 grams of alleged ketamine. The total street value of the drugs was $455,882.
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CBP seized both the drugs and the vehicle. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents arrested the driver and are now investigating the case. Port Director Alberto Flores said the seizure shows CBP's commitment to keeping dangerous drugs out of communities.
What This Means for Travelers Crossing the Border
This case is a reminder that CBP officers inspect all travelers at ports of entry — including U.S. citizens. Officers can refer any vehicle or person for a secondary inspection at any time. Being a U.S. citizen does not protect someone from arrest if illegal items are found. Immigrants and visa holders crossing the border should know that a drug-related arrest can have serious consequences for their immigration status, including removal proceedings (the legal process to deport someone from the US).
What to do
- If you cross the US border regularly, never carry packages for other people, even if someone you trust asks you to.
- If you are stopped for a secondary inspection, stay calm and answer officers' questions honestly. You have the right to remain silent, but refusing to cooperate can raise suspicion.
- If you are a non-citizen and you are arrested at the border, contact an immigration lawyer as soon as possible. A drug arrest can affect your green card application, visa, work permit (EAD), or other immigration benefits.
- If you are in removal proceedings after an arrest, lawyers recommend asking about your right to an immigration bond hearing, where a judge may allow you to be released while your case continues.