A Canadian truck driver has been arrested trying to cross into Buffalo, N.Y., with an estimated $2 million in marijuana and ketamine, hidden in what fraudulent paperwork described as a shipment of waffles.
Just over 948 kg of marijuana and more than 50 kg of ketamine were found behind boxes full of hand sanitizer and seized.
The July 27 charges came after a Customs and Border Protection officer at the Peace Bridge identified a seal number that matched earlier fraudulent paperwork.
U.S Customs and Border Protection had contacted Homeland Security Investigations on June 22, after a shipper’s CTPAT audit identified four fraudulent entries using their company name, invoices, and customs broker, according to a criminal complaint filed with the United States District Court for the Western District of New York.
All four entries included the same purchase order number, seal number and entered value – and none of the shipments arrived at the company’s warehouse.
The charged driver and the same shipper were listed on the paperwork for a load (later proven to be fraudulent) that was turned away by Livingston International on June 7. That day, the driver was also listed on the entry for a load of waffles that successfully entered the U.S. using another broker and listing a different shipper. It was later found to be a fraudulent shipment as well.
The load stopped on July 27 listed the same broker, shipper and seal number as the June 7 shipment, the criminal complaint adds.
The driver was charged with possession of marijuana and controlled substances with intent to distribute, and importation of marijuana and controlled substances.
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