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Customs officers in California find $5 million worth of meth disguised as watermelons

August 26, 2024

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

United States Customs and Border Protection officers in Southern California earlier this month discovered a purported watermelon shipment that contained more than $5 million worth of methamphetamine. 

Officers at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility in San Diego County encountered a 29-year-old man seeking to enter the United States from Mexico. He was driving a commercial tractor-trailer that was hauling a shipment manifested for watermelons, according to Customs and Border Protection.

Officers referred the driver, the tractor-trailer and its cargo to secondary inspection for further examination. In the secondary inspection area, officers uncovered 1,220 packages wrapped in paper, disguised as watermelons within the shipment. Investigators tested the contents of the packages and identified methamphetamine, weighing a total of 4,587 pounds. The meth has an estimated street value of more than $5 million.

Officers seized the methamphetamine and the commercial tractor-trailer. They also turned over the driver to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation.

“I am incredibly proud of our team for their exceptional work over the past few weeks in uncovering sophisticated and diverse smuggling methods,” stated Rosa E. Hernandez, Port Director for the Area Port of Otay Mesa. “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.”

The meth seizure is a byproduct of Operation Apollo, a holistic counter-fentanyl effort that began last October in Southern California and expanded into Arizona in April. 

 


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My God ! This must have worked for a long time before being noticed . We are truly doomed .


1

Getting caught has to suck, but some of them make a quarter of a million a year driving fake watermelons a few miles. I knew a guy that had his car reupholstered in Tijuana and he lived in lemon Grove. He came out and his car seats were ripped open. he had inadvertently been a mule for a dealer. the cops told him it could have been a million dollars worth of heroin but who knows?


0

Sadly, these guys who come up with all these ideas and do all these ridiculous schemes to get illegal bucks don’t realize that they could put all that enterprise and creativity to something legal that was successful and contribute to society without risk of prison or death. What a waste.


Sure keeps our LE on their toes! Good work.


16