Otay Mesa CBP Officers Intercept More Than $15 Million Worth Of Narcotics

By Tom Joyce | Center Square contributor, The Center Square California

Feb 24, 2023

(The Center Square) - Two recent drug busts at Otay Mesa’s cargo facility in California seized more than $15 million worth of narcotics.

"U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers found the narcotics hidden in clay pots, jicama, and furniture," according to a press release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The first drug bust took place on February 14. A 39-year-old male driving a 2006 truck applied for admission into the country at Otay Mesa’s cargo facility. The driver had valid documentation to enter the country and had a shipment he claimed was furniture.

However, CBP examined the vehicle and decided that it needed further inspection. The officers found 132 packages of marijuana that weighed about 1,472 pounds stuffed inside clay pots. A drug-sniffing dog also alerted officers that the vehicle was carrying narcotics. It was carrying 69 packages of methamphetamine that weighed about 515.04 pounds; three packages of fentanyl pills that weighed about 23 pounds; and two packages of cocaine that weighed nearly 11 pounds.

“Phenomenal work by our CBP officers,” Sidney Aki, CBP Director of Field Operations for the San Diego Field Office, said in the release. “Smuggling trends may change, but one thing that will always remain the same is our officers’ diligence and dedication to preventing narcotics from entering the U.S.”

Two days later, there were two more similar drug busts at the border, one of which involved narcotics.

In the morning, a 44-year-old man driving a tractor-trailer applied to enter the United States. He had a valid travel document and claimed he wanted to ship clay pots into the country. However, during the inspection, CBP officers discovered 132 packages of marijuana that weighed 1,472 pounds hidden in those clay pots.

On the evening on February 16, CBP officers also had a larger drug bust. This time, a 24-year-old man driving a tractor-trailer applied for entry into the United States. He claimed he wanted to ship 880 boxes of fresh jicamas into the country. However, CBP officers noticed several packages commingled with the jicamas.

CBP officers found 1,219 packages of methamphetamine hidden within boxes that weighed about 2,180 pounds.

Ultimately, CBP officers seized 1,425 packages containing narcotics in this area over three days. Those narcotics had an estimated street value of $15.4 million.

CBP put the drivers in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations for final disposition. CBP also seized the vehicles and illegal narcotics.

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