Texas Border: Cartel Smuggling Seizures & Arrests Surge in July
Drugs, guns, money confiscated
Law Enforcement Officers on both sides of the Texas-Mexico border are reporting some significant seizures so far in July, suggesting that this month is likely to be a costly one for cartel smuggling operations. One notable bust resulted from a bi-national investigation involving the El Paso Sector Border Patrol Investigators and detectives from the Chihuahua, Mexico State Secretariat of Public Safety.
That joint operation resulted in the July 9, 2025, arrests of two known alien smugglers who claimed affiliation with the "La Empresa" criminal group, which is part of the Juarez Cartel. Mexican authorities seized guns, ammo, and a not insignificant amount of cash. The two smugglers face prosecution for illegal possession of weapons and bribery.
Six days before that, El Paso Customs & Border Protection (CBP) stopped a gunrunner from smuggling a dozen guns and 28 magazines of ammo into Mexico.
The guns and ammo were hidden in the door panels of a car driven by a Mexican citizen and were likely intended to arm Juarez Cartel members.
El Paso Sector Border Patrol Agents also stopped a dangerous human smuggling attempt this month:
They found 13 illegal aliens crammed into compartments beneath a flatbed truck.
Not many details about this busted smuggling attempt have been released so far, except for a warning from the Border Patrol that human smugglers using methods like this one put the lives of those they are hauling at risk.
Cartel drug smugglers are also having a tough time moving their loads across the border into Texas.
CBP Officers inspecting a truckload of papayas arriving at the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility on July 6, 2025, found that not everything in the trailer was sweet. Mixed in among the tropical fruit were 2,571.69 pounds of methamphetamine worth more than 23 million dollars.
Four days later, CBP Officers at that same border crossing nabbed another massive multi-million dollar meth load, this time hidden within a shipment of carrots.
Agents found 311 packages of meth concealed within the carrots, weighing in at 1,706.37 pounds with an estimated street value of well over 15 million dollars.
Border Patrol Agents at the Falfurrias, Texas, checkpoint on US Highway 281 were suspicious about a northbound tractor-trailer they encountered on July 3, 2025, and decided to have a closer look.
When they searched the semi, they discovered 55 pounds of cocaine worth 1.7 million dollars. Agents arrested the driver, seized the truck, and confiscated the drugs.
An attempt to smuggle more than half a million dollars worth of heroin from Piedras Negras, Mexico, into the United States through Eagle Pass, Texas, was thwarted by CBP Officers on July 9, 2025.
The packages of heroin were discovered amidst tortilla presses and candy machines in the back of a pickup truck crossing the Camino Real International Bridge. This drug load weighed in at 26.96 pounds with a street value of $517,072. The driver and passenger were arrested by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) which is investigating this smuggling attempt.
Marijuana Smugglers are also having a tough time moving their loads through Texas this month. CBP Officers checking outbound luggage on international flights leaving Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport discovered one passenger was attempting to smuggle almost 9 kilos of pot to the United Kingdom.
Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol Agents seized more than 800 pounds of marijuana and made 15 arrests during a four-day period earlier this month.
July 5, 2025:
Rio Grande City Station: Agents discovered 28 bundles weighing 359 pounds in an abandoned vehicle, valued at $287,200, representing the largest single seizure during this period.
July 6, 2025:
Fort Brown Station: Agents seized three bundles weighing 93 pounds valued at $74,344 and arrested three suspects.
July 7, 2025:
Harlingen Station: Agents intercepted three bundles weighing 72 pounds, valued at $58,000 and arrested three individuals.
July 8, 2025:
Rio Grande City Station: Agents discovered three bundles of marijuana weighing 34 pounds in an abandoned vehicle with a total value of $27,200.
Brownsville Station: Two separate incidents resulted in the seizure of seven bundles totaling 174 pounds valued at $81,032 with six individuals arrested.
Fort Brown Station: Agents seized three bundles weighing 73 pounds with an estimated value of $36,592 and arrested three suspects.
How big of a dent do you think these seizures and arrests make in cartel smuggling operations along the Texas-Mexico border?
Share your opinion in the comments on this article!
Abrazos,
Jack Beavers
Jack, oh my gosh, I had no idea that huge amounts of drugs were stopped. Even more importantly the smuggling of human beings into the USA is very sad. I'll bet those people who were attempted to come to the USA paid a fortune to the cartels. Thank you, Jack for keeping us informed.
Border Patrol has been busy Jack. Thanks for the update as always enjoy your Sunday.