In a significant pre-Christmas interception, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in Puerto Rico have confiscated a massive shipment of cocaine with an estimated market value of over $6.7 million. The seizure occurred on December 24th at the bustling Port of San Juan during a standard inspection of a commercial vessel that had journeyed from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.
The discovery was initiated when vigilant CBP officers identified suspicious anomalies within the chassis of a cargo platform. This prompted an escalated inspection protocol, which incorporated the use of specialized narcotics detection canines. The canines provided a positive alert, leading investigators to a concealed compartment. A thorough search revealed a substantial quantity of a white powdery substance, which subsequent field testing confirmed to be cocaine, totaling more than 420 kilograms.
Kian Tomas, the Director of the Port of San Juan, publicly commended the acute vigilance and unwavering professionalism demonstrated by the CBP personnel. He emphasized that this successful operation highlights their relentless dedication to safeguarding United States borders, a duty that continues unabated during holiday periods. The contraband was securely removed and processed in a coordinated effort with the Puerto Rico Police Department and agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Authorities further underscored that the Mona Passage, a strategic maritime corridor separating Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, persists as a prevalent and active route for transnational narcotics traffickers attempting to smuggle illicit goods into U.S. territory.