Marijuana Cleverly Disguised As Carrots Seized By Border Patrol

Drug smugglers crossing the U.S.-Mexico border tried to get a little too fresh this week.

A shipment of fresh carrots intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on Sunday turned out to be a mixture of real produce and 2,493 pounds of marijuana wrapped to look like carrots, the agency said Wednesday.

“Once again, drug smuggling organizations have demonstrated their creativity in attempting to smuggle large quantities of narcotics across the U.S./Mexico border,” Port Director Efrain Solis Jr. said in a statement. “Our officers are always ready to meet those challenges and remain vigilant towards any type of illicit activities.”

The shipment was seized at the Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry in Pharr, Texas, roughly 230 miles south of San Antonio. The agency said a "non-intrusive imaging inspection" prompted officers to take a closer look with the help of a canine team.

Officials recovered 2,817 carrot-shaped packages of suspected marijuana with a street value of just under $500,000.

Customs and Border Patrol didn't say whether they made any arrests. The Department of Homeland Security is investigating further.

In early December, agents at the same port seized about $1.7 million in marijuana and cocaine hidden in bags of fresh carrots commingled with a shipment of cucumbers.

More recently, Customs and Border Patrol agents found 2,394 pounds of marijuana halfheartedly hidden in a commercial shipment of tomatoes.

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