Federal agents descended on the Blount Island Marine Terminal for an inspection operation, marking a major escalation in the fight against international smuggling networks.
The FBI joined forces with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and several other agencies to scour hundreds of vehicles bound for overseas markets, specifically targeting shipments headed to Africa, South America, and the Middle East.
The scale of the task is massive. In 2025 alone, more than 500,000 vehicles passed through this Jacksonville export hub. During the two-day surge, teams from the ATF, Homeland Security, and the DEA worked alongside the FBI to identify anomalies in cargo that often looks legitimate on paper but serves as a shell for illegal trade.
Supervisory CBP Officer Richard DeCapite described the operation as comprehensive and hands-on.
“Basically, we went through every single vehicle that was in the lot looking for contraband,” DeCapite said. “Our main enforcement effort was targeting outbound cargo shipments, specifically vehicles and containers containing vehicles destined for Africa, the Middle East, and South America.”
According to authorities, the strategy of criminal organizations has shifted. Instead of using traditional hidden compartments, traffickers are increasingly using entire vehicles and shipping containers as vessels for contraband.
“There have been actors sending currency, narcotics, and weapons overseas by using vehicles and their containers as the vessel, instead of the more traditional way of smuggling outbound,” DeCapite noted. He highlighted a specific trend at the Florida port: “What we tend to see here out of Jacksonville is narcotics come in, and the currency and weapons go out.”
The boots-on-the-ground reality of the operation involved physically inspecting over 250 vehicles. Agents used advanced screening technology and database checks to find items that weren’t supposed to be there. The effort paid off when teams discovered three vehicles hidden inside shipping containers that had never been declared on the official manifests.
“We actually found three vehicles that were not manifested in the containers, so that was nice,” DeCapite said.
Beyond the immediate seizures, officials say the primary goal of the “coordinated outbound enforcement” is to bridge the gap between different branches of law enforcement. FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley emphasized that these partnerships are the only way to stay ahead of transnational crime syndicates.
“Interagency operations go beyond simple coordination. They are about building lasting partnerships,” Carley said. “When agencies come together with a shared purpose, we are more effective. The trust developed through joint training and working side by side becomes critical in real-world operations.” Carley noted that collaboration is more than a choice; it is a necessity. “Collaboration isn’t just a best practice for us; it’s how we ensure we’re ready to respond as one unified team. It also guarantees no single entity stands alone in safeguarding our communities and national security.”
FBI Jacksonville Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Muscatello echoed that sentiment, focusing on the tactical benefits of the raid.
“This coordinated search highlights the operational value of bringing multiple agencies together, which is critical to combating transnational organized crime and violent crime,” Muscatello said. “Each partner contributes unique expertise and perspective.”
By combining investigative resources and on-the-ground enforcement, Muscatello believes the government can move faster.
“By integrating intelligence and operational capabilities on the ground, we are able to strengthen trust and create a comprehensive response to identifying and addressing threats,” he said. “Working alongside one another not only enhances the mission, it reinforces the relationships that make future operations even stronger.”
DeCapite agreed that the human element of the task force is just as important as the inspections.
“Really, the biggest purpose of doing operations like this is to build the collaboration between all the different agencies that we have here,” he said. “So, we put faces to names, and then we know who to reach out to if we ever need assistance with anything.”
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