U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Laredo Port of Entry intercepted over 21 pounds of testosterone and other steroids concealed in a passenger vehicle. The seizure was made after CBP officers utilized their inspection procedures and advanced technology to uncover the hidden substances.
While conducting their routine duties in line with strict security protocols, CBP officers selected a 25-year-old U.S. citizen's 2012 GMC Terrain for a detailed secondary inspection. According to the Customs and Border Protection press release, the seizure happened on Tuesday, at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge. Their detailed inspection processes included canine and non-intrusive imaging systems, which revealed 210 vials and 4,760 pills of testosterone and other steroids that were deeply hidden within the vehicle.
"Our frontline CBP officers maintain strict vigilance and their application of inspections experience and technology led to the discovery of a significant amount of steroids deeply hidden within a vehicle," Port Director Alberto Flores stated in a recent release by CBP.
Anabolic steroids, as classified under the Controlled Substances Act, carry with them the potential for significant abuse. It's Schedule III substances, which are only a small number are approved for human or veterinary use. The misuse of such substances can engender not just mood swings among users, but in some individuals, it may also provoke what is often referred to as “roid rage”—a condition associated with increased aggression and impaired judgment, as noted in case studies and scientific research outlined by the CBP press release.
As a result of the operation, both the vehicle and the illegal substances were seized. The driver was arrested, and Homeland Security Investigations agents have launched a criminal investigation.
