see also: in April 2007 News Releases:   CBP Officers Seize $8 Million Worth of Marijuana at Calexico Port   CBP Border Patrol Rescues Three   U.S., Mexican Officials Announce Grand Opening Of Brownsville SENTRI Lane   Funcionarios de Estados Unidos y México Anuncian Inauguración del Carril SENTRI en Brownsville   First Mobile Sensor Tower Arrives In Arizona   Frequent Traveler Charged with Marijuana Smuggling ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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Chicago – On Friday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers seized over 700 pounds of cocaine at O’Hare Airport from a commercial airliner’s cargo compartment. CBP officers found the contraband onboard an Aeromex flight from Guadalajara, Mexico, which landed at O’Hare Airport at 11 p.m.

During a routine inspection of baggage and cargo onboard Aeromex flight #668, CBP officers found 336 bricks of cocaine weighing about one kilo each. The cocaine bricks were tightly wrapped in cellophane, soaked in axle grease then covered with a rubber sheeting and taped with packing tape. The four small cardboard boxes containing the cocaine bricks were not listed on the cargo manifest.

“This is one of the largest drug seizures for Customs and Border Protection in Chicago within the air cargo environment,” said Chicago U.S. Customs and Border Protection Director of Field Operations David Murphy, “This seizure is a result of the hard work that our CBP officers do everyday to keep contraband like this cocaine off our streets.”

According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a kilo of cocaine is valued at approximately $20,000, which gives this seizure an approximate wholesale value of $6.7 million. The seizure is now under investigation by ICE special agents at O’Hare. No arrests have been made at this time.

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.