Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers discovered 403 pounds cocaine hidden in a shipment of rolling door cylinders that arrived from the Dominican Republic at the port of San Juan in Puerto Rico.

CBP estimates the street value of the illicit narcotics to be $3.6 million.

On October 3, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers from the Anti-Terrorism Contraband Enforcement Team (A-TCET) conducted inspections of containers arriving at the Port of San Juan.

Law enforcement officers used non-intrusive technology and detected anomalies inside the containers.

Officers then discovered 156 brickshidden inside the rolling door cylinders.

The Border Enforcement Security Team (BEST) of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) took custody of the contraband and launched a criminal investigation into drug trafficking.

“These seizures underscore the critical role our CBP plays in protecting our borders. Each intercept, hidden in foreign-sourced cargo, represents not only a victory against the flow of deadly substances, but also our agency’s commitment to combating the devastating impact of drug trafficking on our communities, our officers putting themselves in harm’s way every day to dismantle these threats and to ensure a safer future for all”. said Roberto Vaquero, director of field operations for the San Juan field office.

“We remain vigilant in our efforts to disrupt criminal networks that seek to exploit our ports and continue to work closely with international, local and federal agencies to maintain the safety and security of our region.”

In federal fiscal year 2024, the San Juan Bureau seized 11,800 pounds of narcotics.

Terri Beth Miller, senior editor at Rehab.com, said Newsweek: “Cocaine is a dangerous and highly addictive drug. It is a stimulant that produces rapid, intense, but short-lived effects on the central nervous system, resulting in a significant increase in heart rate and blood pressure. These effects on the cardiovascular system can lead to life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias, heart attacks and cardiac arrest.”

The seizures are part of CBP’s ongoing operations to intercept and prevent illicit drug trafficking in the country.

There has been a string of high-profile cocaine seizures in recent months as border agents try to stem the flow of the illegal drug.

In October, Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Sea Operations (AMO) confiscated cocaine worth over $11 million after intercepting a vessel off the coast of Puerto Rico.

Authorities found 17 bales of cocaine bricks weighing over 1,321 pounds on the vessel and three citizens of the Dominican Republic were arrested.

In a separate case that same month, CBP officers seized 12.2 kilograms (27 pounds) of cocaine hidden in a hidden compartment in a motorized wheelchair at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston.

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