CBP Seizes Over 3 Million Fentanyl Pills Worth $21 Million in California Port of Entry
In a recent incident at the Otay Mesa port of entry in California, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have successfully seized a huge amount of fentanyl pills.
More than 3 million pills were found hidden in a truck that was loaded with produce.
Intensive Agriculture Inspection
On Monday, April 17th, at around 7:20 a.m., CBP officers stopped a 48-year-old truck driver who was transporting a shipment of green beans. The truck was referred for an “intensive agriculture inspection,” during which the CBP officers used a “non-intrusive inspection” system to scan the shipment. This process revealed irregularities in the shipment, and a canine unit was called in to further investigate.
The canine unit quickly alerted the officers to the presence of drugs on the truck. Upon further inspection, CBP officers found 308 packages concealed within the shipment of green beans. The contents of the packages were tested and identified as fentanyl pills, with a total weight of 776.03 pounds.
Millions in Fentanyl
The seized fentanyl pills are estimated to have a street value of $21,120,000. As a result of this seizure, the truck driver was detained on suspicion of narcotics smuggling and handed over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In addition to detaining the truck driver, CBP also seized the truck, trailer, and pills. Rosa Hernandez, Port Director for the Otay Mesa Cargo Facility, praised the officers for their exceptional performance in protecting the community. “This seizure provides insight and displays how our officers work together in collaboration to keep this dangerous drug off the streets,” said Hernandez.
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