CBP officers in Calexico seize over 100 pounds of blue fentanyl pills

CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the Calexico West Port of Entry seized approximately 122 pounds of blue fentanyl pills consealed in a vehicle last Wednesday.

In a press release, the incident happened at around 10:06pm when CBP officers saw a 47-year-old man "driving a grey sedan who was applying for admission into the United States from Mexico."

CBP says during inspection, officers found packages inside the vehicle's quarter panel, to which officers "referred the driver and vehicle for further examination."

CBP further says during another inspection, officers used a non-intrusive inspection technology "to screen the vehicle, revealing anomalies throughout the vehicle," prompting a K9 team to respond and was alerted to the "presence of narcotics."

After that, CBP says officers seized 98 packages found inside the vehicle's quarter panels and back head rest, which tested positive for fentanyl weighing approximately 122 pounds.

"This fentanyl pill seizure is a big win in our fight against the opioid crisis. Every pill off the streets is a life potentially saved. I commend our hardworking CBP officers and law enforcement partners for keeping our communities safe," said Roque Caza, Area Port Director of Calexico.

Afterwards, CBP says officers seized the narcotics and vehicle while the driver was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) "for further investigation."