San Diego Border Agents Seize $21 Million in Drugs in One Month

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the San Diego Field Office seized over 10,000 pounds of narcotics worth more than $21 million throughout August.
A border-check operation resulted in the confiscation of 9,000 pounds of methamphetamine, nearly 1,000 pounds of cocaine, and 300 pounds of fentanyl, according to a statement from the CBP on Monday.
The narcotics intercepted were encountered in 108 separate incidents.
The estimated street value of the narcotics is thought to be more than $21 million, the CBP said in a statement on Wednesday.
The seizures are part of ongoing CBP operations to intercept and prevent the trafficking of illicit drugs into the country.
In the 2023-2024 Fiscal Year, CBP officers assigned to the San Diego Field Office confiscated over 109,000 pounds of drugs.
It’s the largest drug haul seized by the San Diego Field Office in a month since May, when CBP officers took a massive drug haul worth $38 million.
Law enforcement officials confiscated 4.31 pounds of marijuana, 21.73 pounds of heroin, 913.9 pounds of cocaine, 561.91 pounds of fentanyl, and 16,408.94 pounds of methamphetamine in 165 separate smuggling attempts from May 1 to May 31.
In August 2023, CBP officers confiscated 8,000 pounds of narcotics.
All suspects involved in the drug seizures were arrested and handed over to Homeland Security Investigations for further criminal investigation.
“At the San Diego Field Office, our mission is clear: to protect our borders, safeguard our nation, and ensure the safety of our communities,” said Sidney K. Aki, CBP director of field operations for San Diego in a statement.
“These numbers highlight our successful efforts in employing a multifaceted approach to dismantle transnational criminal organizations. By utilizing cutting-edge technology and fostering vital partnerships, we are enhancing our capabilities to disrupt drug smuggling operations and prevent narcotics from entering our communities.”
The most commonly seized drug by the San Diego Field Office in the same time frame was meth, with 89,000 pounds discovered by authorities.
The San Diego office oversees several ports of entry in Southern California, including San Ysidro, San Diego Airport and Seaport, Otay Mesa, Tecate, Calexico East/West, and Andrade.
The seizure is the latest in a string of drug busts in recent months, with one port of entry on the U.S.-Mexico border seeing over a ton found in July alone.
CBP officers at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility captured over 600 pounds of meth stashed inside a shipment of celery during a routine check on vehicles on August 9.
Other officers at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility confiscated more than $5 million-worth of methamphetamine in a shipment of watermelons.
Smugglers had disguised over 4,000 pounds of meth by wrapping the packages in bright green plastic with stripes, making them resemble small watermelons.
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