Officers say they were able to seize a concealed shipment of methamphetamine worth millions of dollars from entering the United States.
According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, more than $3 million worth of meth was discovered in a shipment of carrots at the Otay Mesa Cargo Facility in San Diego on Dec. 1.
Border Patrol officers said they found the concealed drugs as a 43-year-old truck driver tried to enter the country from Mexico. The driver had a valid border crossing card and was flagged for further examination, along with the truck and shipment.
According to the agency, officers found a total of 628 packages concealed within the shipment of carrots after a K-9 team alerted them to the presence of narcotics.
Officers said the narcotics were tested and identified as methamphetamine that weighed about 1,435 pounds with an estimated street value of more than $3 million.
“These types of narcotic interceptions play a critical role in our border security mission,” Otay Mesa Port Director Rosa Hernandez said. “Our officers will continue to remain vigilant, working hard to detect these smuggling techniques.”
The driver was transferred into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody for more processing. CBP officers seized the tractor-trailer and drugs.