Greater than $1 million price of methamphetamine was not too long ago seized by U.S. officers after it was discovered hidden inside a cargo of squash.
In accordance with a current press launch from Customs and Border Safety (CBP), the incident occurred April 28 on the Otay Mesa Cargo facility positioned in San Diego, California.
The current seizure comes as CBP brokers proceed to intercept an array of completely different illicit narcotics throughout the nation's borders.
On April 28, CBP brokers stationed on the cargo facility encountered a 25-year-old Mexican male driver trying to achieve entry into the U.S.
"The driving force offered a sound border crossing card, and the CBP officer referred the driving force, bobtail truck, and cargo of squash apart for additional inspection," CBP mentioned within the press launch.
After the driving force and his truck have been pulled apart for a secondary inspection, CBP officers used an imaging system that works equally to an X-ray machine. Whereas utilizing an imaging system, CBP officers found "anomalies" throughout the truck's cargo.
"Officers then despatched the truck to the dock, the place an officer with a human/narcotic detector canine screened the cargo, and the canine alerted to the pallets of squash," the press launch mentioned.
Following the alert by the canine, CBP officers started inspecting the cargo of squash and found 259 packages that contained methamphetamine and one package deal that contained cocaine hidden throughout the produce. The packages of methamphetamine and cocaine have been extracted from the squash, CBP mentioned.
In accordance with CBP, the packages of methamphetamine weighed a complete of round 552.65 kilos and had a complete estimated avenue worth of $1.2 million. The two.78 kilos of cocaine have been price roughly $39,000, CBP mentioned. Each the truck and the narcotics have been seized by CBP.
"CBP officers turned the driving force over to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Safety Investigations (HSI) for additional processing," the press launch mentioned.
Anne Maricich, CBP deputy director of Discipline Operations in San Diego, applauded the CBP officers that made the seizure and mentioned, "Smugglers will all the time strive new, artistic strategies to smuggle narcotics, however our officers are all the time ready for the surprising."
A number of comparable seizures have occurred over the previous few months. In February, CBP officers in Arizona intercepted greater than $4 million price of meth and fentanyl that was discovered hidden inside a driver's AC unit positioned on his RV. In March, CBP officers in California found a number of kilos of meth and fentanyl capsules hidden underneath a driver's automotive floorboards.
In accordance with information from CBP, in March alone, its officers seized greater than 40,000 kilos of narcotics.
Newsweek reached out to CBP for additional remark.
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