U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Southern California were in for a rather interesting surprise after a watermelon shipment yielded an abundant harvest of something else: $5 million worth of methamphetamine.
In an Aug. 20 news release, the agency said that a 29-year-old man driving a commercial tractor-trailer attempted to enter the U.S. from Mexico, hauling a shipment manifested for watermelons.
Border patrol officers at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility in San Diego referred the driver, along with his vehicle and cargo, for an additional examination following the first checkpoint.
It was during the additional examination that officers say the supposed shipment of watermelons was offloaded, and upon further inspection, they uncovered 1,220 packages of methamphetamine "wrapped in paper" and disguised as the fruit, the agency said.
The watermelon is known for being a refreshing fruit, but...CBP officers seized more than $5M worth of meth disguised and concealed within a shipment of watermelons. Officers uncovered 1,220 packages, weighing over 4,000lbs disguised as watermelons. ➡️https://t.co/rFVZcc5xPB pic.twitter.com/VSXFbp3Cg2
— CBP (@CBP) August 23, 2024
The contents of the packages were tested and later identified as methamphetamine weighing nearly 4,600 pounds, which the agency said has an estimated street value that exceeds $5 million.
CBP officers confiscated the drugs and the tractor-trailer and the driver, who authorities have not identified, was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation, according to the release.
Rosa Hernandez, port director for the Area Port of Otay Mesa, praised border agents' efforts in uncovering "sophisticated and diverse smuggling methods."
"As drug cartels continue to evolve their smuggling techniques, we will continue finding new and better ways to prevent these dangerous drugs and other contraband from entering the country," Hernandez said in a statement.
Border patrol officers at the same facility confiscated 629 pounds of the same drug earlier this month hidden in a grocery shipping crate filled with celery, according to a news release. The shipment of drugs had an estimated street value of $755,000.
Both seizures resulted from Operation Apollo, which targets fentanyl being smuggled into the U.S., the agency said. The operation began in October 2023 in Southern California and expanded to Arizona in April.
Copyright 2024 NPR
