Feds find 280 pounds of cocaine in berry shipment crossing Blue Water Bridge

A Canadian man was arrested on the Blue Water Bridge Sunday after officials found more than 280 pounds of cocaine in a berry shipment, according to a statement from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. 

Members of the CBP Port Huron Anti-Terrorism and Contraband Enforcement Team were doing routine outbound inspections on the bridge at the time of the seizure. 

The commercial truck shipping blackberries to Canada was selected for an enforcement exam. During the inspection and interview, four boxes containing plastic wrapped packages of suspected narcotics were found in the truck's tractor, according to the statement. 

The packages tested positive for the properties of cocaine in a field test. 

According to a complaint filed in federal court, Dario Grujic of Guelph, Ontario, told officers he had a load of blackberries from Mexico that he had picked up in Texas. 

"The arrest demonstrated the continued effort by our officers, their dedication to our border security mission and the focus on the export of illicit narcotics," Port Director Michael Fox said in the statement. 

Grujic acted oddly while his truck was undergoing an X-ray exam, according to the complaint. 

Four anomalies noted in the x-rays led officers to two boxes behind the driver's seat, within arm's reach, and two in the sleeper bunk. Inside the boxes, they found taped packages containing individual kilogram sized objects that were vacuum sealed. 

Following the discovery and field test of the substance, Grujic was arrested. 

"According to officers, Grujic did not ask why he was being placed in handcuffs at the time and instead merely slumped his head and remained quiet," the complaint reads. 

According to CBP records, Grujic has crossed into the U.S. in the same truck 25 times in the past six months, the most recent being through Port Huron Oct. 15. 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Gregory Abair wrote in the complaint Grujic's actions were consistent with that of a drug smuggler. 

Grujic was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations and made his initial appearance in federal court Monday, according to officials. 

The St. Clair County Sheriff Department is part of the Border Enforcement Security Team. 

Contact Liz Shepard at (810) 989-6273 or lshepard@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @lvshepard.