US: £347,000 worth of marijuana passed off as carrots found at Mexico border

US Customs and Border Protection officers have seized 2,817 carrot-shaped packets containing marijuana worth nearly £347k ($500k). The packages were creatively wrapped in orange packaging that allowed for the drugs to be camouflaged with fresh carrots.

The tractor containing the marijuana was stopped at the US-Mexico border at the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility in Texas near the Gulf of Mexico. Sniffer dogs helped to unwrap the true contents in the trailer when the tractor was flagged for secondary inspection, said the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

"Once again, drug smuggling organisations have demonstrated their creativity in attempting to smuggle large quantities of narcotics across the US/Mexico border," said Efrain Solis Jr, Port Director at the Pharr crossing, reported CNN. "Our officers are always ready to meet those challenges and remain vigilant towards any type of illicit activities."

The seized marijuana disguised as carrots filled up nearly two pickup trucks. The case is being investigated further by the Department of Homeland Security. Customs officials at the same Pharr International Bridge cargo facility have previously found marijuana worth £333,000 ($479,000) hidden in a shipment of fresh tomatoes. Earlier, 164 pounds of cocaine was also seized while being transported in a shipment of carrots.

"This was definitely a productive weekend at our Pharr, Texas cargo facility," said Acting Port Director Javier Cantu, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry, reported the US Customs and Border Protection. "Our frontline officers accomplished these extraordinary seizures of narcotics while still processing legitimate importations, an outstanding and sometimes unnoticed aspect of our job duties."