PHILADELPHIA (CMC) — The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency says it has intercepted a 40 calibre handgun and a quantity of marijuana bound for Trinidad and Tobago concealed in a stereo radio receiver.

It said that the discovery was made during a routine examination of outbound air cargo on Thursday.

The CBP said that officers disassembled the receiver and discovered a Springfield Armory XD semi-automatic handgun, one magazine, and 10 vacuum-sealed bags containing a green, leafy material that field-tested positive for marijuana, the agency said.

It said the marijuana weighed 540 grams, or a little more than one pound and three ounces, and had a street value of less than US$1,000.

CBP did not disclose the name of the sender or intended recipient.

“This seizure illustrates how US Customs and Border Protection officers effectively employ available technologies to intercept illicit contraband and dangerous weapons while facilitating the expeditious movement of legitimate international commerce,” said Susan Stranieri, CBP port director for the Area Port of Philadelphia.

CBP said Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technologies, which enable it to quickly examine the contents of shipping containers and other conveyances, are “a key component in CBP’s layered enforcement strategy to protect America, our citizens and our nation’s economy”.

Meanwhile, the United States has signed an agreement to provide Trinidad and Tobago with US$1.8 million for security assistance programme.

Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago, Margaret B. Diop and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston C. Dookeran signed the agreement that the US diplomat said increases cooperative opportunities between the two countries.

She said the agreement allows for continued development of programs aimed at increasing citizen security by strengthening law enforcement capacities to counter illicit traffickers and deter violent crime. The goal of these programs is to improve security, promote social justice, and counter the efforts of local and international criminal organizations.

Dookeran thanked Washington for its assistance to the country noting that the support will better prepare Trinidad and Tobago to address critical threats of interest to each nation and the international community.