CBP
United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in Murrieta, California made an unusual discovery inside the fuel tanks of a tractor-trailer traveling on Interstate 215 this week: 761 pounds of liquid meth. It was the San Diego Sector’s largest single methamphetamine seizure over the past two years.
On Tuesday, at approximately 6:40 p.m., U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Newton-Azrak station pulled over a tractor-trailer traveling northbound on I-215. During the stop, the agents requested that a canine unit respond to the location. When it arrived on scene, the canine made a positive alert for the presence of narcotics concealed within the vehicle.
After further investigation by the CBP agents, they discovered some anomalies in the fuel tanks and the liquid inside the tanks. It was at that point that they transported the driver and the tractor-trailer to the Border Patrol station for further investigation.
Once at the Border Patrol station, the CBP agents discovered that an aftermarket compartment had been constructed and placed inside both diesel tanks. When they tested the liquid in the compartments it came back positive for the characteristics of meth.
After Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and hazmat personnel arrived on the scene and assisted with extraction of the liquid, a total of 22 five-gallon buckets were pulled from both fuel tanks. In total, 761 pounds of liquid methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $684,900 was retrieved.
Prior to this bust, the San Diego Sector had seized 347 pounds of methamphetamine, 1,415 pounds of cocaine, 177 pounds of fentanyl, and 19 pounds of heroin during this fiscal year. The driver of the tractor-trailer, as well as the seized narcotics, were turned over to HSI for further investigation and prosecution.
“Foreign terrorist organizations will use every trick in the book to get their drugs into the country,” said Jeffrey D. Stalnaker, Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the San Diego Sector. “The agents of San Diego Sector are the best in the business and will continue to target, interdict, and dismantle these organizations.”
Smugglers trying to sneak liquid meth into the United States often attempt to do do using the fuel tanks of tractor-trailers. Last month, CBP officers seized 1,200 pounds of liquid meth that was trying to be smuggled across the Calexico Port of Entry.
Fuel tanks filled with meth! #CalCargoPOE @CBP officers seized 1200 lbs. of liquid methamphetamine at the #CalexicoPOE Cargo facility on Saturday 3/22—another major bust in the fight against drug trafficking. #OFOProud🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/bafrJeDIUH
— Director of Field Operations Sidney Aki (@DFOSanDiegoCA) March 24, 2025
In another case at the same location just four days later, someone else actually tried sneaking 1,700 pounds of liquid meth into the U.S. in buckets loaded on to the back of a utility truck.
.@CBP officers at the #CalEastPOE hit the mother load of meth!!! Over 1,700 pounds of liquid meth taken out of a utility truck on 3/26!! #CalexicoPOE officers don't sleep, don't stop!!! #OFOProud🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/UpUJRtssUL
— Director of Field Operations Sidney Aki (@DFOSanDiegoCA) March 31, 2025
Also last month in an even more brazen drug smuggling attempt, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Roma Port of Entry in Texas seized more than $20 million worth of liquid meth that was being smuggled within a tractor-trailer that was hauling bottled mineral water. In that case, the agents confiscated 1,632 bottles containing over 2,200 pounds of liquid methamphetamine.