---
title: "Marijuana Found in Fords, Lincolns Imported from Mexico for the Second Time This Month"
description: "At this rate, Ford should just call it an option and ship the cars to Colorado dealers."
date: "2017-07-27"
modified: "2019-06-17"
authors:
  - name: "Kyle Cheromcha"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kyle-cheromcha"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/12958/marijuana-found-in-fords-lincolns-imported-from-mexico-for-the-second-time-in-two-weeks"
categories:
  - "Ford News"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
tags:
  - "Crime"
  - "Ford"
  - "marijuana"
  - "Mexico"
  - "smuggling"
---

# Marijuana Found in Fords, Lincolns Imported from Mexico for the Second Time This Month

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/07/shipment-drugs.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

For [the second time in two weeks,](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/12541/u-s-authorities-find-1-million-of-smuggled-marijuana-in-new-ford-fusions-again>) federal agents recovered almost 300 pounds of marijuana from a rail car full of brand-new Ford and Lincoln vehicles that had just been shipped up from Mexico, [the *Detroit Free Press* reports.](<https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2017/07/27/ford-pot-stash/104046708/>)

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials told reporters on Thursday that Ford employees discovered several bundles of what appeared to be marijuana in the rail car itself when they began unloading its contents at the automaker's Rail Distribution Facility in Woodhaven, Michigan. ICE agents responded and searched the rail car and 200 vehicles, eventually turning up around 277 pounds of pot.

Though ICE officials wouldn't confirm which models had been turned into unwitting drug mules, [previous cases have involved](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/9664/marijuana-is-being-smuggled-into-the-us-in-ford-fusions>) Ford Fusions and Lincoln MKZs made at the company's Hermosillo Stamping & Assembly plant in Sonora, Mexico. Ford only has one other assembly plant in Mexico—Cuautitlán, where workers are making [U.S. market Fiestas while they still can](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/12773/the-ford-fiesta-is-dead-in-america>)—and considering the shipment reportedly involved both Fords and Lincolns, it seems likely this most recent case is somehow connected to the same long-running smuggling effort.

There is one [difference](<https://futurerestored.com/support-for-family-of-addicts/>), though. Unlike the last two cases, whoever masterminded this shipment was apparently wary of the publicity and opted against the "marijuana spare tire" trick, though it clearly didn't prevent discovery. Also, this special delivery was intercepted *before* the cars reached dealerships, so it would appear Ford is keeping a closer eye on its shipments.

"We are taking this very seriously. We are working closely with a number of law enforcement agencies on this investigation, including the FBI, Customs, Department of Homeland Security and local police," Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker said in a statement, [according to the *Detroit Free Press*.](<https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2017/07/27/ford-pot-stash/104046708/>) "We cannot comment further as this is an active investigation."

One thing they might want to consider: Since someone is clearly dead set on [slipping marijuana](<https://thefixfix.com/california-medicaid-centers/>) into their shipping chain, just reallocate those cars to dealers in Colorado (or Washington, or Oregon, or Nevada) and sell them as-is. That's one way to [get people interested in sedans again.](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/12879/ford-considers-killing-off-taurus-in-2018>)

## Author
Overseeing an expert staff of writers and editors from his lair in Los Angeles, Kyle shapes The Drive’s singular approach to covering the automotive industry and car culture. He’s been with the site as a writer since 2017, taking over as editor in 2019. On a daily basis, Kyle is responsible for directing The Drive's editorial news and car review content strategies, setting special coverage priorities, managing complex reporting projects, and ensuring what you read on the page meets our high internal standards for quality and trustworthiness. He is also the executive producer of The Drive's YouTube channel, which was relaunched in February 2024 to great acclaim and has accumulated over 14M new views in its first year back on the scene. He hosts a biweekly series on the channel where he breaks down fascinating and complicated stories from the automotive world.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/kylecheromcha.bsky.social>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/kylecheromcha>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-cheromcha-1550248a/>)