American woman attempts to sneak $549,000 worth of fentanyl past Del Rio border crossing

EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) — A woman attempted to smuggle more than half a million dollars worth of the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl into the U.S. from Mexico on Sunday.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection say the woman, a U.S. citizen, pulled up to the Del Rio Port of Entry in a passenger vehicle and was referred to a secondary inspection.

Agents said they conducted a thorough examination using non-intrusive inspection (NII) equipment, and they discovered 30 packages containing a total of 40.34 pounds of fentanyl concealed within the vehicle. CBP officials said the fentanyl had a street value of $548,987.

CBP seized the drugs and the vehicle and turned the driver over to Homeland Security Investigations special agents.

“This significant seizure of a potentially fatal hard narcotic, like fentanyl, underscores the reality of the drug threat our frontline officers are facing and their commitment to upholding our border security mission,” said Port Director Liliana Flores, Del Rio Port of Entry.