U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have intercepted over 130 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in a toolbox and canopy bag in a truck, following a K-9 alert that led authorities to the large haul of narcotics.
The discovery was made at the Tecate Port of Entry on Wednesday, July 17.
CBP officers found 133.11 pounds of methamphetamine after apprehending a migrant attempting to smuggle the drugs into San Diego County, California.
According to Newsweek, the estimated street value of the seized meth is over $1.2 million.
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Details of the Operation
The incident occurred on Wednesday, July 17, around 5:58 p.m. local time.
Authorities apprehended a 33-year-old man driving a truck who was seeking asylum from Mexico. During an inspection, a K-9 detection team identified the presence of drugs, prompting CBP officers to conduct a secondary examination of the vehicle.
Upon further inspection, officers found 35 packages hidden within the toolbox and canopy bag. Tests confirmed the contents as methamphetamine.
The seizure is part of CBP's broader efforts to intercept illegal substances entering the United States. Methamphetamine is a powerful and highly addictive stimulant affecting the central nervous system.
Statistics
CBP officers seized nearly 549,000 pounds of illegal drugs nationwide in 2022-2023, with marijuana and methamphetamine being the most common. Specifically, 140,000 pounds of meth were seized by law enforcement in the U.S. during this period.
In the 2023-2024 fiscal year, as of June 2024, CBP officials have seized 135,769 pounds of meth nationwide. In the Southwest alone, 123,573 pounds of meth were intercepted in the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
According to a study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), approximately 2.5 million people aged 12 and older reported using methamphetamine in the United States.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported an estimated 107,543 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2023, a slight decrease from the 111,029 deaths in 2022.
