Carrots didn’t work, neither did limes. Now drug smugglers are trying to use lettuce to disguise their marijuana shipments into the United States.
The phony lettuce-like bundles didn’t get past the US Customs and Border Protection officers in Laredo, Texas, on Monday. Officers seized 5,754 packages containing nearly 2 tons of marijuana.
The truck hauling the “produce” crossed the Laredo-Colombia Solidarity International Bridge along the Texas-Mexico border. The fake veggie packages were discovered by a narcotics K-9 team, imaging and physical inspection of the trailer.
“This is truly an example of our CBP officers’ hard work, experience and dedication to the CBP mission,” Port Director Gregory Alvarez said in a statement. “I congratulate the officers in advancing the CBP mission and protecting the public from illegal narcotics.”
The drugs have an estimated street value of $741,186, according to the statement. The case is now under investigation with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations special agents.
These type of shipments aren’t uncommon for border patrol officers.
In February, border officers in Pharr, Texas, seized 3,947 pounds of weed in a commercial shipment of key limes.
In 2016, 2,493 pounds of marijuana were concealed in carrot-shaped packaging entering from Mexico.