Largest Marijuana Load -- $10 Million -- Seized in Laredo, Texas

Laredo, Texas, Morning Times ^ | 03-13-03 | Staff

[Theodore R.]

Laredo's largest marijuana load seized

Time staff report

Customs and Border Protection inspectors in Laredo seized a load of marijuana valued at more than $10 million, the largest in port history, on Monday.

The confiscation did not produce an arrest, but an investigation is underway, officials said.

The seizure occurred at World Trade Bridge when Customs and Border Protection inspectors referred a 1996 Freightliner tractor hauling a shipment of synthetic wall panels for a secondary examination.

A non-intrusive imaging system scan indicated anomalies in the shipment.

Inspectors found packages hidden between the panels.

Canine "Miaka" alerted to the odor of marijuana in the packages.

Upon further examination, inspectors seized 548 bundles containing a total of 10,530 pounds of marijuana.

The marijuana has an estimated street value of $10.5 million.

Gene Garza, interim port director, Customs and Border Protection, Laredo, lauded his inspectors on the seizure.

"This load is the largest amount of marijuana our inspectors have seized at the port of entry and serves as testament to their dedication and training," Garza said.

[billorites]

Uh, would you believe "personal use?"

[Pern]

A non-intrusive imaging system scan indicated anomalies in the shipment.

I like how they try to throw 'disarming' words when describing the methods they use. How can an X-ray be 'non-intrusive'? It's designed to be intrusive, or it wouldn't work!

The marijuana has an estimated street value of $10.5 million.

According to my math, and knowing what weed sells for, I come up with $7,897,500; $750 a pound. Let's not inflate the numbers, guys.

[headsonpikes]

"personal use?" . LOL!!!

Not to preclude any other vicious and unfounded comments, I would like to advise the police to look for a member of the International Liberdopian Gear-jammer Conspiracy.

Lyndon L.(Mr.Big) told me personally that the truck is owned through a series of shell companies by George Soros.

So put that in your bong and toke it, loosers!

[prairiebreeze]

Still, that's a whole lot of pot.

Prairie

[Ff--150]

Boy, these tabloids are everywhere! =-}

[FreeTally]

ROTFLMAO!!

[RabidBartender]

Shhh....it's medicinal. The driver had a bad case of glacouma.

[Thermalseeker]

So put that in your bong and toke it, loosers!

Yeah, but how many got across while they were inspecting this one? The southern border is so porous I'd bet the capture rate vs. what is coming over is probably 1 to 30.

[FreeTally]

If someone was to buy 10,000 lbs, I doubt they would even being paying $750/lb. for it. $750 for a few lbs at a time, but not for 10,000.

The figures are typically some sort of "retail" value as if it was sold in small quantities. When they really want to inflate numbers, they take the average price a 1/4 oz. bag sells for and mulitply it out. Lets see: $30 x 4 = $120/oz. $120 x 16 oz. = $1,920. $1,920 x 10,530 = $20,217,600. Looks like they were generous with their "inflating" of value here!

No matter what, 10,000 lbs is a lot 'o pot.

[gitmogrunt]

Infuriating the Libertarians Post (Alert).

[realpatriot71]

Do you think terrorists might use big busts of MJ coming acorss the border as a diversion to sneak themselves and weapons across the border?

Here's the sleeping better at night!

[Dr._Joseph_Warren]

The Streets of Laredo
(With apologies to Arlo Guthrie)

As I walked out in the streets of Laredo
As I walked out in Laredo one day
I spied a poor hippie wrapped up with his lady
All wrapped in rags and as high as the day

"I see by your outfit that you are a border guard"
These words he did say as I stepped past the dork.
"Please give me 10 dollars and hear my sad story
I'm all out of pot and I might have to work.

"'Twas once in the semi I used to go ridin'
Once in the semi I used to get paid
Then started to smokin’, and then to dope dealin’
But they’ve found all my pot and I'm crying today

"Had a big loaded semis to carry my pot in.
Had a big loaded semis to carry it all.
Threw bails of marijuana in between the panels
Threw bails between panels to hide the haul

"Oh, at first they looked high, and then they looked lowly
They thought I was clean and they said move along
But that changed as I hopped back into my ol’ semi
That changed when they saw me pick up my new bong”

So I kicked the damn hippie and cuffed his old lady
And he bitterly wept as we carried them along
For we all love our children, so good, young and innocent
But this hippie knows jail is for him, ‘cause he done wrong

[cynicom]

Shoot the driver and shipper. That ought to get the mules attention.

[B4Ranch]

ping

[battlegearboat]

No problem.

A college administrator in Des Moines is picking up the slack by growing and distributing primo bud in his $350,000 home.

Can't find fill? Contact a "friend" in "higher" education.

[Theodore R.]

The original song to which you parody was called "The Cowboy's Lament." It was written probably a hundred years ago by Francis Maynard. (I think that was the name.)It is also called "The Streets of Laredo." That song, however, is rarely played in Laredo these days, for it is not "PC."

[Theodore R.]

There have been many versions of "The Cowboy's Lament," and you are correct that Arlo Guthrie had one of the most popular tunes. There was a 1995 version based on McMurtry's "Lonesome Dove" too. It is true though that the song is not "PC" in Laredo these days, for it involves the admission of wrongdoing.