$7.2M In Narcotics Recovered In 2nd Largest Drug Bust In History

SAN DIEGO, CA — The second-largest drug bust along the southwest boarder was carried out Friday, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency announced Sunday. More than 3,100 pounds of methamphetamine, fentanyl powder, fentanyl pills and heroin were seized from a suspect attempting to drive across the border.

The driver arrived at the cargo border crossing Friday around 9:45 a.m. with a tractor-trailer shipment disguised as a medical supplier. The officer on duty decided to enforce a more intensive inspection.

CBP officers screened the truck using the port's imaging system, similar to an x-ray and spotted suspicious items in the back of the trailer. Upon searching the trailer, officers discovered 1,816 packages mixed in with medical supplies that mostly contained clear plastic pipette tips, spray bottles of surface decontaminate.

“Smugglers will try every way possible to try and get their product across the border and because of the partnership between CBP, Homeland Security investigations and DEA this significant seizure occurred and we stopped them,” said Anne Maricich in a news release, acting CBP director of field operations in San Diego. “I’m proud of the CBP officers’ dedication to our mission; they continue to stop dangerous drugs from entering our communities.”

CBP officers later found 3,014 pounds of methamphetamine, 64 pounds of heroin, 29 pounds of fentanyl powder, and almost 37 pounds of fentanyl pills, worth an estimated $7.2 million.

The driver was a 47-year-old male Mexican citizen. He was arrested and turned over the custody of the joint investigative team from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration; he will face criminal charges.

“This massive seizure is testament of what law enforcement agencies can do when we combine forces – prevent over $7 million worth of deadly drugs from entering our country; thus saving countless lives from addiction and overdose deaths,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge John W. Callery in a Sunday news release.