Border patrol seizes more than $1M worth of cocaine in Washington

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized a hefty amount of cocaine near the Northern Border in Washington last week.

A news release from CBP stated border patrol assigned to the Blaine Sector in Washington seized around 78 pounds of cocaine on December 19. The estimated value of the drugs comes to more than $1.1 million.

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According to CBP, agents on patrol discovered two black backpacks lying on the ground in a wooded area near the border in Lynden. Agents discovered 30 “brick-like packages containing a white powdery substance,” the release stated. The substance was later tested and determined to be cocaine.

“Thanks to the vigilance of Blaine Sector Border Patrol agents these dangerous narcotics were prevented from reaching our communities,” Chief Patrol Agent Rosario “Pete” Vasquez stated via the release. “Our agents work tirelessly day in and day out to protect this nation, and this seizure highlights that crucial commitment.”

The drugs were then turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration, CBP noted.

Looking further at drugs seizures over recent years

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has statistics on drug seizures over the last three years.

Looking at the Northern Border, the amount of cocaine seized saw a sharp decline from 2023 to 2024 with 26,898 pounds seized in 2023 and 2,350 pounds seized in 2024. Yet in 2022, only 1,049 pounds of cocaine was seized. Other drugs that were confiscated less in 2024 compared to 2023 at the Northern Border include, marijuana, methamphetamine, khat and the category “other drugs.”

Drugs that were seized more by border patrol at the Northern Border include fentanyl, heroin, ketamine and ecstasy. Notably, two pounds of heroin were seized in 2023 and 72 pounds were seized in 2024. Two pounds of fentanyl were seized in 2023 while 43 pounds were seized in 2024.

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LSD had the same number both years with 2 pounds of the drug confiscated in both 2023 and 2024.

Looking at weight by month at the Northern Border, numbers were mostly steady across 2024. However, there was a sharp incline in February 2023, where 27,633 pounds of drugs were seized. There was also a spike in June 2022, when 21,861 pounds of drugs were confiscated.

Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X here and email her here.