Nearly $1M worth of meth found hidden in furniture cabinets at Calexico border facility
Border Patrol agents found nearly $1 million worth of methamphetamine hidden in wooden furniture cabinets at a border facility in Calexico.
The discovery was made on July 3 at the Calexico East Commercial Facility.
According to CBP, a 29-year-old male driving a box truck transporting a shipment manifested as wooden furniture was applying for admission into the United States from Mexico. The driver, a valid visa holder, was referred to secondary along with the box truck for further examination.
A scan of the truck detected irregularities in the furniture, the agency noted. A further inspection led to the discovery of false cabinet compartments.
CBP officers examined the false compartments to discover and extract a total of 49 packages concealed within. The packages, which weighed nearly 516 pounds, tested positive for meth with an estimated street value of $928,000.
CBP officers seized the narcotics and box truck while the driver was turned over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation.
“I am extremely proud of our officers’ relentless efforts to protect our nation’s borders, even during blazing temperatures,” stated Roque Caza, Port Director for the Area Port of Calexico. “Their tenacity to remain vigilant and prevent dangerous drugs from reaching our communities encapsulates their remarkable dedication and commitment to duty."
This seizure is the result of Operation Apollo, a holistic counter-fentanyl effort that began on October 26, 2023, in southern California, and expanded to Arizona on April 10, 2024. Operation Apollo focuses on intelligence collection and partnerships, and utilizes local CBP field assets augmented by federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners to boost resources, increase collaboration, and target the smuggling of fentanyl into the United States.
