Cocaine Concealed Inside Cheese Wheels in Elaborate Smuggling Scheme

Smuggling operations have taken on various forms throughout history, often pushing the boundaries of creativity and audacity. In a recent incident, cheese wheels were used as an unlikely cover to smuggle almost 18 pounds of cocaine from Mexico into the United States.

Image source: NBC2 News.

In early July of 2023, a truck carrying four wheels of cheese was stopped for further screening at the Presidio Port of Entry at the Texas border. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers hand-inspected and X-rayed the cheese, and found seven parcels inside the wheels, totaling 17.8 pounds of cocaine!

The 22-year-old driver, a United States citizen, was arrested and turned over to Homeland Security Investigations.