More than 2,800 packages of what looked like carrots headed to the U.S. turned out to be a guise for nearly half a million dollars worth of pot, authorities said.
The false carrots were seized at the Pharr International Bridge in Texas on Sunday, where a tractor trailer was carrying what appeared to be a fresh shipment of carrots from Mexico.
Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection stopped the trailer and a canine team helped search the cargo.
"Once again, drug smuggling organizations have demonstrated their creativity in attempting to smuggle large quantities of narcotics across the U.S./Mexico border," said Port Director Efrain Solis Jr. of the Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry in a written statement.
Officers found 2,493 pounds of marijuana sealed inside of the "carrots," which is believed to have a street value of $499,000, according to the statement.
In all, more than 2,817 carrot-shaped packages were confiscated.