In a recent crackdown on drug trafficking, Border Patrol Officers managed to seize a monumental amount of meth, valued at nearly $6 million, at the United States-Mexico border. This seizure was a result of two distinct events that led officials to an alarming amount of meth hidden in produce, namely celery and poorly designed fake watermelons.
Border Patrol agents at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility, an inspection port conveniently situated just beyond the border in the city of San Diego, made the first discovery. They found 629lbs of meth hidden in a crate filled with celery.
The vehicle carrying the illegal cargo was driven by a 34-year-old man, who held valid documentation for border crossing. Carrying the illicit cargo from Mexico, he declared his truck’s cargo to be “celery.” However, this did not escape noses of the border patrol officer’s K-9 units. These K-9 dogs undergo extensive training to detect narcotics, making them a crucial part of border security.
The officers, in sync with the K-9 units, were able to successfully seize 508 packages of meth, carefully concealed within the celery. The street value of this seizure alone was estimated at around $755,000.
Barely two weeks later, at the same Otay Mesa Commercial Facility (it’s surprising that traffickers didn’t consider a different route after the first incident), an even larger haul of meth was intercepted. This time, being transported by a 29-year-old man, who claimed to be carrying watermelons. An examination of his truck revealed a shocking 1,220 packages of meth, weighing 4,587lbs. The street value of this haul surpassed $5 million.
These two seizures were the successful outcome of Operation Apollo, an ongoing initiative aimed at preventing the infiltration of fentanyl into the US, and specifically into the hands of unsuspecting drug users.
