– Cocaine and methamphetamine seized in tractor-trailers during California border searches
– Cocaine and meth found in tractor-trailers during California border inspections.
Accident – Death – Obituary News : U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials at a California commercial facility have successfully intercepted two major drug shipments in recent days. The seizures, which were found in tractor-trailers, included a staggering 400 pounds of cocaine and a whopping 11,469 pounds of methamphetamine.
In a significant find, officers at the Otay Port Commercial Facility discovered over 400 pounds of cocaine cleverly concealed within a tractor-trailer’s fuel tanks on Friday, May 17. The interception took place at around 9 p.m. when CBP officers encountered a 35-year-old male driver seeking entry from Mexico at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility. The driver, who held a valid border crossing card, was flagged for further inspection along with the tractor and empty trailer.
Upon closer inspection in the secondary examination area, a CBP canine unit alerted officers to examine the fuel tanks of the tractor-trailer. After a thorough search, officers unearthed packages discreetly hidden in a non-factory compartment inside both fuel tanks. The contents of the packages were confirmed to be cocaine, with a total of 160 packages weighing in at 412.26 pounds. The narcotics were seized, and both the drugs and the commercial tractor-trailer were confiscated. The driver was handed over to Homeland Security Investigations for further probing.
Rosa E. Hernandez, the Port Director for the Area Ports of Otay Mesa, commended the success of the OFO canine teams in detecting narcotics, emphasizing the collaborative effort involved. She affirmed the agency’s commitment to ongoing operations, such as Operation Apollo, leveraging intelligence and investigative information to disrupt drug traffickers’ supply chains.
In a separate incident, CBP officers at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility uncovered a staggering $18 million worth of methamphetamine concealed within a shipment of squash. The discovery was made on Monday, May 20, at approximately 6:47 a.m. when officers encountered a 44-year-old male driver with a shipment listed as squash. The driver, a valid border crossing card holder, was referred for further examination alongside the tractor-trailer and the shipment.
Using non-intrusive scanning technology, officers conducted a comprehensive scan of the tractor-trailer, revealing irregularities that prompted the request for a CBP human and narcotics detection canine team. The team’s response led to the detection of narcotics, with a total of 1,419 packages of methamphetamine weighing 11,469 pounds found hidden within the squash shipment. The estimated street value of the seized drugs was a staggering $18,350,400.
Rosa E. Hernandez, the Otay Mesa Area Port Director, praised the officers’ dedication to duty and the safety of the nation, highlighting their exceptional efforts in preventing the illegal importation of narcotics. The seized drugs, along with the commercial tractor and trailer, were confiscated, and the driver was handed over to Homeland Security Investigations for further inquiry..
– Cocaine meth tractor-trailers California border searches
– Cocaine meth tractor-trailers California border confiscations.
