U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers (CBP) located at the commercial Otay Mesa Facility found nearly $3 million worth hard narcotics in a lime shipment on Thursday.

Around 11:00 a.m., CBP officers observed a man aged 42 driving an industrial tractor-trailer carrying an unidentified shipment of Persian limes. The driver, who is a current holder of a border crossing card was then referred to an additional investigation by CBP officers as was the truck and its cargo.

In the second inspection zone In the second inspection zone, an CBP K-9 unit screened the cargo and alerted officers look into the trailer further. After further inspection, CBP officers discovered and removed a total of more than 158 suspicious parcels. The contents were analyzed and confirmed as cocaine weighing 435 pounds and the estimated street value of $3,355,800.

“Rain or shine, our officers are on the job all day to ensure the communities we live in are not contaminated with the dangers of these drugs,” declared Rosa Hernandez, Port Director of Otay Mesa Port of Entry. Otay Mesa Port of Entry. “I’m satisfied with the effort the officers of our port make every day and out.”

All suspects were handed over to Homeland Security Investigations for further process. The semi-truck, narcotics as well as the trailer were taken from the trailer by CBP officers.

The seizures are an element the operation known as Operation Apollo. Operation Apollo is a joint operation that consists of state, federal, and local authorities working together to counter the dangers posed by the illicit use of fentanyl as well as other synthetic drugs. Additional information regarding Operation Apollo can be found here.

CBP agents at the border crossings at the border crossing Southern California stop illegal activity and process the thousands of legitimate travellers in and out of the United States. Those statistics can be found here: CBP-enforcement-statistics

To learn more, visit cbp.gov

Source: Dreamstime.com