Photo Courtesy of CBP
Law enforcement officers seized a shipping container at the Port of New York/Newark last month containing approximately 3,200 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $77 million.
By Michael V. Cusenza
A special joint operation at the Port of New York/Newark featuring law enforcement officers representing no less than six government agencies from the federal, State, and City levels seized a shipping container last month containing approximately 3,200 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $77 million.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the container arrived at the port on Feb. 28. A CBP spokesperson told The Forum that based on shared law enforcement information, the container was selected for closer scrutiny, leading to the discovery of 60 packages filled with a white powdery substance that field-tested positive for cocaine.
“Transnational criminal organizations rely upon illicit networks throughout the world to supply, transport, and distribute cocaine and other dangerous drugs,” said Brian Michael, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations-Newark. “HSI’s Border Enforcement Security Task Force in Newark, comprised of federal, State and local law enforcement working together, strengthened by HSI’s international partnerships and [the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s] combined assets, play a critical role in disrupting the worldwide cocaine chain.”
It’s the second largest cocaine seizure in the history of the Port of New York/Newark, and the largest in nearly 25 years, according to CBP.
“Cocaine, New York’s nemesis of the ’90s, is back—indicating traffickers push to build an emerging customer base of users mixing cocaine with fentanyl,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan. “This record-breaking seizure draws attention to this new threat and shows law enforcement’s collaborative efforts in seizing illicit drugs before it gets to the streets and into users’ hands.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, no suspects, arrests, or charges had been announced.
