U.S. border officials seize over 1,000 lbs of pot

A Canadian truck driver faces charges in Detroit after border officials at the Fort Street Cargo Facility seized over 1,000 lbs of marijuana on Sunday.

The driver presented a manifest for steel wire destined for a distribution centre in Chicago, but Customs and Border Protection officers got suspicious and sent the truck to secondary inspection.

That’s when they found 1,031 lbs of marijuana hidden in five wooden crates.

“The Port of Detroit is proud to have prevented the exploitation of our borders and the introduction of illicit drugs into our communities,” said Port Director, Devin Chamberlain. “I am equally proud of our CBP Officers and Agriculture Specialists who remain vigilant in their efforts to protect the American people every day.”

While marijuana is legal for personal use in Canada, taking it across the border is illegal. There is also a limit on how much a person can possess. That limit is just 30 grams.

The Detroit Field Office said it continues to see an increase in narcotics seized at ports of entry. Since March, over 5,500 lbs of marijuana have been taken at border crossings across Michigan.