U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Baltimore seized more than 10,000 pounds of marijuana hidden inside a shipping container bound for Liverpool, England, authorities announced.
The seizure occurred May 29 during an inspection of a 40-foot shipping container from Nassau County, New York, that was declared as carrying men’s cotton and nylon shirts. Instead, officers discovered 238 boxes filled with vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana. CBP narcotics detection dog Letti, a 2-year-old German shepherd, alerted officers to the shipment.
The marijuana weighed 4,815 kilograms, or 10,615 pounds, and has an estimated street value of approximately $24 million in the United States. Officials said the drugs could have been worth significantly more if successfully transported to Europe.
No arrests have been announced. Homeland Security Investigations is continuing to investigate the case. Authorities noted that criminal organizations continue to target European markets, where marijuana can command substantially higher prices than in the United States.
