LAREDO, Texas – A woman attempting to cross into the United States with $1.5 million in cocaine was arrested Wednesday with her two children in the car.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Gateway to the Americas Bridge in Laredo made the discovery after the woman's 2003 Chevy Tahoe was flagged for a secondary examination.
Officers found 18 packages of cocaine totaling 47 pounds. CBP officials said the street value of the drugs is $1.5 million.
The 24-year-old mother and U.S. citizen was traveling with her two sons, ages 15 months and 2 months.
The woman was arrested and turned over to Homeland Security Investigations special agents for further investigation. The children were placed in the custody of a family member.
"Our frontline officers have definitely seen it all in term of smuggling methods but it still strikes a nerve to encounter an alleged attempt by a parent to move hard narcotics with their children present," said acting port director Joseph Misenhelter in a statement.