In the last week alone, more than 2,600 lbs of marijuana and $860,000 worth of methamphetamines have been seized at the Otay Mesa and San Ysidro border entries.
The most significant of the three seizures occurred on March 29 at the Otay Mesa port of entry. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said they seized more than 1,300 lbs (valued at $790,000) from a 37-year-old Tijuana man driving a commercial bus.
“Although the primary focus of CBP is anti-terrorism, we continue to apprehend wanted fugitives and to seize large quantities of dangerous narcotics,” said port director of the two border crossings Oscar Preciado in a press release. “ These are unending threats that our officers face on a daily basis and underscores our need to carefully screen people and goods entering the United States.”
CBP used their human/narcotic detector dog to further investigate the bus. When the dog raised suspicions about the floor of the bus, officers used a gamma ray imaging system that suggested anomalies in the floor. Officers removed the floor and the 254 packages of marijuana underneath. The driver was arrested and sent to the Metropolitan Correctional Center and the drugs and vehicle were seized for evidence.
More marijuana was seized that same day at the other port of entry at San Ysidro. A 55-year-old El Cajon man driving a 2004 GMC pick up pulling a trailer was referred for secondary examination.
During the secondary examination, a drug-sniffing dog notified officers to a rear area of the trailer. Officers then used an x-ray imaging system indicated unusual spaces within the trailer. More than 1,000 pounds of marijuana lay behind the bathroom wall, valued on the street for $611,000. The man was also sent to the Metropolitan Correctional Center.
Last Thursday, March 26, officers seized a significant amount of methamphetamines from a 30-year-old Tijuana woman at the San Ysidro port of entry. A canine team that was inspecting the area smelled drugs emanating from the woman’s 2009 Jeep Liberty. At secondary inspection, officers discovered 57 lbs of methamphetamines, worth almost $860,000, in a non-factory compartment in the Jeep.
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Last week, CBP also apprehended 33 fugitives at the ports of entry with outstanding felony warrants. Some of the crimes the fugitives were wanted for were attempted murder, attempted murder of a police officer, robbery, tax revenue fraud, and parole/probation violations.
