Nearly $8 million worth of narcotics were seized at U.S.-Mexico border ports near or in California leading up to the Memorial Day weekend, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said.
The seizure for this collective total began May 18 when CBP agents at the San Ysidro Port of Entry discovered 36 packages of drugs hidden inside a vehicle. The drug bust included 27 pounds of meth, nearly five pounds of fentanyl powder and 2 pounds of fentanyl pill, all with an estimated street value of $305,200, according to the department.
San Diego News
Three separate busts were conducted on May 19 at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, Calexico Port of Entry and the Tecate cargo facility. In Tecate, 50 packages of cocaine were found in the gas tank of a car and had a street value of roughly $2 million. While in Calexico, about $3 million worth of fentanyl pills were found tucked in different nooks and crannies of a vehicle. In Otay Mesa, CBP agents seized about $158,000 worth of fentanyl powder from a vehicle.
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Drug busts were also conducted on May 19-20 and May 23-24 at the San Ysidro, Otay Mesa and Calexico ports of entry, according to CBP.
The individuals suspected of being involved in the drug busts were turned over to the Homeland Security Investigations’ office while their vehicles and narcotics were seized by CBP officers.
“Narcotics smuggling continues to be on the rise and our officers will relentlessly continue doing everything they can to keep our communities safe,” Sidney Aki, CBP Director of Field Office of Public Affairs Operations for San Diego, said in a statement.
