The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) logo is displayed on an officer’s shoulder at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in Los Angeles, California on May 19, 2025. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

OAN Staff Lillian Mann
9:15 AM – Thursday, July 9, 2026

United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Miami, Florida, have seized 22 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride valued at $1.5 million at an air cargo warehouse as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt narcotics smuggling networks during the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Led by CBP’s Operation Striker Shield, the initiative aims to disrupt transnational drug trafficking networks and interdict illicit narcotics during a period when millions of international visitors are expected to enter the United States for the World Cup.

At a cargo warehouse near Miami International Airport, Operation Striker Shield inspected a package listed as “music equipment.” The parcel was being shipped from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to Delhi, India, according to a statement from CBP released on Wednesday.

During the inspection, CBP officers found eight pouches and four bricks of a white powder hidden inside four speakers and two amplifiers. A field test confirmed the powder was cocaine hydrochloride.

 

The seized substance weighed a total of 22.35 kilograms (49 pounds, 4 ounces), with an estimated street value of about $1.5 million, according to the CBP statement.

“This significant seizure underscores CBP’s unwavering commitment to securing our borders and preventing dangerous narcotics from reaching communities both here and abroad,” said Daniel Alonso, Director of Field Operations for CBP’s Miami and Tampa Field Office. “Operation Striker Shield, combined with the vigilance and expertise of our officers, is effectively disrupting transnational criminal organizations attempting to exploit legitimate trade routes. We will continue to leverage intelligence, advanced targeting, and officer intuition to interdict these illicit shipments.”

Following the interception, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) took over the criminal investigation.

 

Under the leadership of President Donald Trump and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin, CBP officers remain committed to preventing illegal narcotics from entering the country while facilitating lawful trade and travel into the U.S., the statement read.

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