CBP Reports Arrests and Seizures at Texas Ports Impacting Val Verde

U.S. Customs and Border Protection disclosed several enforcement actions at Texas ports of entry in early January, with one incident centered in Del Rio, the county seat of Val Verde County. The agency’s public updates between January 6 and January 8 outlined an arrest at Laredo, a weapons and ammunition seizure at Del Rio during outbound operations to Mexico, and a significant drug interception in Pharr.

On January 6, Diane J. Sabatino, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Executive Assistant Commissioner, reported that "CBP officers at the Laredo Port of Entry arrested a woman wanted on felony warrants for sex-related offenses involving a child." The arrest highlights the role of border officers not only in intercepting contraband but also in apprehending individuals sought on criminal warrants.

The following day, Sabatino described the Del Rio action, which carries immediate relevance for Val Verde County. She said, "CBP officers at the Del Rio Port of Entry seized 2 weapons, 9 magazines, and 1,389 rounds of ammunition during outbound operations to Mexico. Each seizure represents a threat stopped and reinforces CBP’s commitment to public safety." Those items were discovered during operations focused on outbound traffic, illustrating agency efforts to prevent weapons and high-capacity ammunition from leaving U.S. soil.

On January 8, CBP posted that officers intercepted a significant narcotics shipment at the Pharr port of entry. Details released by the agency positioned that interception alongside the other early-January actions as part of a concentrated enforcement window across Texas ports.

These incidents underscore CBP’s core mission to secure borders against smuggling, human trafficking, and other illegal cross-border activity. In Val Verde County, the Del Rio seizure is likely to prompt local scrutiny of how federal and local agencies coordinate to detect and interdict arms flows and contraband. Outbound seizures, in particular, reflect a policy emphasis on preventing destabilizing items from reaching actors across the border, a matter with direct public safety implications for border communities on both sides.

As enforcement activity continues, local officials and residents will face choices about oversight and community priorities. County leaders can seek briefings from CBP and local law enforcement to clarify operational patterns and resource needs. Residents may request public discussion at county meetings to better understand how federal operations intersect with local policing and community safety priorities.