Cheese Blocks Garnished with 'Ureure'... Cocaine Smuggling Caught in the US

Caught Red-Handed Showing Abnormal Signs in X-Ray Scan

A man attempting to smuggle cocaine hidden inside round blocks of cheese was caught at the U.S. border in Texas.

According to CNN and other outlets on the 23rd (local time), the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) discovered and seized 17.8 pounds (about 8 kg) of cocaine hidden inside four blocks of cheese on the 20th in Presidio, Texas.

The driver, Mr. A (22), a U.S. citizen, tried to cross the border customs from Mexico into the U.S. with the cheese containing drugs loaded in his pickup truck. However, an abnormality appeared on the customs X-ray scan, and when the cheese was cut open, seven pouches filled with cocaine were found.

[Image source=Yonhap News Agency·U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)]

Investigations revealed that Mr. A had declared the cheese for import into the U.S. However, agents immediately seized the cocaine and the pickup truck and arrested Mr. A on charges of attempted drug smuggling.

Daniel Mercado, CBP Presidio Customs Director, said, "Smugglers often hide contraband in items that appear harmless to avoid suspicion," adding, "Thanks to the thorough and extensive inspections by CBP agents, we were able to prevent this drug from reaching its intended destination."

Earlier, the El Paso Customs in Texas announced that last month they discovered and seized 146 pounds (66 kg) of cocaine hidden inside the inner wall of an ice cream maker. In addition, CBP explained that smugglers try various methods such as hiding drugs in car batteries or smuggling drugs using drones. In May, a group attempting to transport cocaine disguised as pregnant women in the U.S. was also caught by the police.

Meanwhile, CBP announced last month that the amount of drugs seized, including cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana, increased by 7% compared to May.

In particular, the amount of fentanyl seized this year reached a total of 22,000 pounds (about 9,979 kg), nearly three times the 8,300 pounds (about 3,764 kg) seized during the same period last year.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the age-standardized death rate per 100,000 people due to fentanyl overdose increased nearly fourfold from 5.7 in 2016 to 21.6 in 2021. In just five years, the death rate per 100,000 people caused by this drug increased approximately 3.8 times. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid drug, has a lethal dose of only 2 mg, meaning even a slight overdose can be fatal.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.