More than 1,100 pounds of methamphetamine worth $2.5 million was hidden within a shipment of watermelons. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered the drugs in Otay Mesa, CA.
The drugs were found on May 18, 2021 at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility. Officers encountered a driver operating a truck and trailer with a shipment manifested as watermelons.
During the inspection, a officer referred the driver along with the shipment for an intensive examination.
A canine team screened the tractor trailer and alerted to the shipment of watermelons. Officers searched the cargo and discovered a combination of 193 wrapped plastic containers and packages of methamphetamine concealed within the watermelon crates.
The estimated street value of the methamphetamine is approximately $2.5 million U.S. dollars.
The 47-year-old Mexican male driver was arrested for the narcotic smuggling attempt. Officers turned the driver over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations.
The driver is currently facing federal charges and has been transported to the Metropolitan Correctional Center in San Diego.
