Customs and Border Protection
Confiscating illegal drugs that were trying to be smuggled into the United States is a constant battle for America’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers.
For example, on the last day of June, CBP officers at Pharr International Bridge in Texas seized $5.1 million worth of methamphetamine hidden inside a shipment of cucumbers and bell peppers.
Another, more recent, example occurred on July 3 at the Calexico East Commercial Facility in California.
At approximately 1:00 p.m. on the 3rd, a 29-year-old male who had a valid visa was driving a box truck through customs at the Mexico-United States border.
The manifest for the truck claimed it was filled with wooden furniture cabinets, and it was.
However, while going through customs, CBP officers pulled the truck aside for a secondary inspection.
While examining the furniture, CBP officers discovered that the wooden cabinets had several false compartments. Inside those compartments they found 49 packages. The contents of those 49 packages ended up testing positive for methamphetamine.
The driver was then turned over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations.
We have a constant axe to grind with drug traffickers always trying to stump us. Last week, Calexico @CBP officers got to the root of the knotty problem when they uncovered nearly $1M in meth hidden in wooden furniture cabinets. ➡️ https://t.co/0BRzlIWxIq pic.twitter.com/CP3Kck59C1
— (A)Executive Asst. Commissioner Diane J. Sabatino (@OFOEAC) July 11, 2024
The estimated street value of the meth that was seized in that stop in Calexico was approximately $928,000.
“I am extremely proud of our officers’ relentless efforts to protect our nation’s borders, even during blazing temperatures,” Roque Caza, Port Director for the Area Port of Calexico, stated in a press release. “Their tenacity to remain vigilant and prevent dangerous drugs from reaching our communities encapsulates their remarkable dedication and commitment to duty.”
The seizure was part of Operation Apollo, which in March resulted in the interception and confiscation of $11 million worth of fentanyl hidden inside a vehicle’s dash and seats.
Later that month, Operation Apollo seized over $40 million worth of methamphetamine in two other major busts in Laredo, Texas, and another $20 million-plus worth of narcotics at the San Diego border.