The U.S. Customs and Border Protection stumbled upon a pleasant surprise when inspecting a massive coconut shipment at the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas. Thanks to some assistance from their weed-spotting canine team Monday, officers discovered that 2,486 packages of marijuana were cleverly tucked away inside the fresh, versatile drupes.
Officers ultimately uncovered 1,423 pounds of marijuana inside the tractor-trailer, after a "non-intrusive imaging inspection" was recommended for the packages. "Our officers' ability to use all available resources combined with their experience has resulted in numerous discoveries of illegal narcotics," Port Director Efrain Solis Jr. said in a statement Thursday. "We are keeping drugs off our streets, protecting our communities and our vigilance is continuous."
The weed haul, discovered at the Pharr International Bridge near Hidalgo and worth approximately $285,000, was promptly seized by Homeland Security agents as part of an ongoing investigation. Coconuts, however, aren't the only otherwise boring food items to have been given the smuggled green treatment:
Back in January, Customs and Border agents were inadvertently presented with a creative dinner idea when they intercepted 2,493 pounds of marijuana hidden inside obviously fake carrots. Solis praised the smugglers' "creativity" in moving their product across the border, but was otherwise unimpressed. "Our officers are always ready to meet those challenges and remain vigilant towards any type of illicit activities," Solis said at the time. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not immediately respond to Complex's request for comment.
Carrots and coconuts for dinner, anyone?
