The U.S. Customs and Border Protection really squashed the dreams of one drug smuggler after it intercepted 1,400 packages of methamphetamine inside a shipment of squash, officials shared.
The methamphetamine seized by customs officers is worth more than $18 million and was found just after 6:45 a.m. on Monday when officers at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility in California stopped a 44-year-old Man driving a commercial tractor-trailer.
CBP officials shared in a press release on Wednesday that inside the man’s trailer was the shipment of squash, with more than 11,469 pounds of narcotics squashed inside the vegetables.
“The driver, a valid border crossing card holder, was referred for further examination by CBP officers along with the tractor-trailer and shipment,” CBP said. “In secondary, non-intrusive scanning technology was utilized to conduct a full scan of the tractor-trailer. After examination, irregularities were observed, and CBP officers requested a CBP human and narcotics detection canine. The canine team responded and alerted officers to the presence of narcotics.”
The entirety of the narcotics found came to 1,419 packages weighing more than 11,469 pounds with an estimated street value of $18,350,400, CBP shared.
Rosa Hernandez, the Otay Mesa Area Port Director, shared in a statement that the shipment was seized thanks to their officers’ “commitment to duty, excellence, and the safety of our nation.”
The drugs, commercial tractor, and trailer were seized by the CBP, and the driver was arrested. He is now in the custody of Homeland Security Investigation.