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Brownsville, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Cargo Facility at Veterans’ International Bridge discovered nearly $18 million in cocaine hidden within a commercial shipment of cantera stone being imported into the country; one Mexican citizen was arrested.

On Tuesday at 8:13 p.m., at the cargo facility at the Veterans’ International Bridge, CBP officers referred a white 1993 Dina tractor trailer driven by Rigoberto Zuniga Mata, a 32-year-old Mexican citizen and resident of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico for an intensive inspection. During the intensive examination, CBP officers discovered discrepancies to the cantera stone on several of the 12 pallets contained in the shipment.

CBP officers scrutinized the suspected cantera stone further and after a rigorous undertaking to uncouple the stones, CBP officers removed a total of 403 packages from within the cantera stone. Inside the packages officers found a total of nearly 560 pounds of cocaine.

The cocaine from this seizure has an estimated street value of almost $18 million. The driver was arrested by CBP officers and turned over to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents who investigated the seizure and will process the driver on federal drug charges.

“This significant narcotics load was intercepted by our officers working together as a team. Observational skills and training played a big role in this seizure. Extraordinary work by CBP officers working at the cargo facility,” said Michael Freeman, CBP Brownsville port director.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.