U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced on Monday that they have seized a significant amount of methamphetamine, worth over $1 million, concealed within a shipment of charcoal at a facility in California.
On Thursday night, at the Otay Mesa Cargo Facility in San Diego, CBP officers made a significant discovery. They found a whopping 782 pounds of narcotics concealed inside a tractor-trailer that was supposed to be transporting charcoal.
According to CBP, the driver of the tractor-trailer, a 46-year-old man who held a valid border crossing card, had his vehicle flagged for additional inspection. During the inspection, scanning technology identified irregularities.
After calling in additional CBP officers and deploying a narcotics detection canine, they successfully uncovered a total of 119 packages hidden within the charcoal shipment. These packages were later identified as methamphetamine. In addition to seizing the illicit narcotics, the authorities also took possession of the truck and trailer involved in the smuggling attempt.
Rosa Hernandez, the port director for the Otay Mesa Ports of Entry, expressed the significance of this discovery, highlighting the unwavering dedication of their officers in upholding border security. She emphasized the commitment of their diligent team in protecting the community from dangerous drugs, employing advanced technology to bolster their comprehensive enforcement measures.
Thursday’s seizure occurred as a result of Operation Apollo, which commenced in southern California last October and expanded to Arizona this month. This initiative aims to prevent the smuggling of drugs into the United States by fostering collaborations between CBP agents and various state, local, tribal, and territorial partners.
Operation Apollo assisted CBP officers in seizing 50 pounds of methamphetamine on Friday. The illicit substance was discovered in an ice chest containing fish, as it was being transported into southern California.
“Last week, Roque Caza, the Calexico Area Port director, highlighted the determined efforts of our officers in combating drug trafficking. He emphasized that drug traffickers spare no effort to deceive our officers. Caza expressed his pride in the hard work and dedication of our highly trained officers who tirelessly combat these perilous drugs that have tragically taken numerous lives.”