Crime & Safety

76 Pounds of Pot Stashed With Auto Parts: Border Patrol

Truck driver stopped at Ambassador Bridge had trusted trader privileges that allowed him to cross the border with minimal delay.

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DETROIT, MI – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers took about 76 pounds of marijuana off the market Wednesday and arrested a truck driver who was part of a trusted trader program that allows low-risk drivers to cross the border into Canada with minimal delays.

The driver, a 56-year-old U.S. citizen, declared only auto parts at the Fort Street Cargo Facility at the Ambassador Bridge, according to a statement from the CBP. Border patrol agents discovered the marijuana after ordering an x-ray examination of the cargo.

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The examination revealed unusually shaped cargo in the rear of the trailer, and after breaking the seals on the trailer and opening the doors, agents discovered two large duffel bags containing 68 bundles of marijuana, authorities said.

Acting Detroit Port Director John Nowak said the driver will lose his privileges to cross the border under the Free and Secure Trade program, or FAST, and will be prosecuted “to the fullest extent of the law.”

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The marijuana was seized and the driver, who hasn’t been identified, was turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations special agents for further investigation.

» U.S. Customs and Border Protection photo

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