DrugsNews

US CBP officers at Otay Mesa Commercial Facility discover $3.2 million in meth hidden within floor frame of tractor-trailer

US CBP officers assigned to the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility kicked off October by discovering more than $3.2 million in methamphetamine concealed within the floor frame of a tractor-trailer in a single enforcement action.

The incident occurred on Thursday, October 3, 2024, when CBP officers encountered a 40-year- old male driving an empty commercial tractor-trailer seeking entry into the United States from Mexico. Following a cursory inspection, CBP officers referred the driver, a valid border crossing card holder, and commercial tractor-trailer for further examination.

During secondary inspection, non-intrusive screening technology was utilized to scan the tractor-trailer where officers observed anomalies within the floor-frame of the tractor-trailer. A CBP K-9 unit responded and alerted officers to the presence of narcotics.

Event photo; description located in caption.
Upon initial inspection of the tractor-trailer, the trailer appears empty.

CBP officers conducted a physical examination of the tractor-trailer’s floor and discovered 265 packages hidden within the floor frame. The contents of the packages were tested and identified as methamphetamine, weighing a total of approximately 2,686 pounds with an estimated street value of $3,220,000.00.

Event photo; description located in caption.
CBP officers discover more than 2,600 pounds of concealed methamphetamine in the trailer’s floor frame.

“I am extremely proud of our dedicated workforce,” stated Rosa E. Hernandez, Port Director for the Area Port of Otay Mesa. “Our officers are always vigilant and work hard to ensure our border security is not compromised and to protect our communities from dangerous drugs.”