CBP officers seize $1 million worth of methamphetamine hidden in charcoal shipment

OTAY MESA, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Officers with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Otay Mesa Cargo Facility found "over a million dollars worth of methamphetamine" hidden inside a charcoal shipment.

In a press release, the seizure occurred last Thursday at around 8:30pm when CBP officers came across a 46-year-old man driving a commercial tractor-trailer "with a shipment manifested for charcoal."

CBP says the driver, "a valid border crossing card holder," was then "referred for for further examination" along with the tractor-trailer and shipment.

At that time, CBP says officers used a non-intrusive scanning technology "to conduct a full scan of the tractor-trailer," and it was when officers found some irregularities that they called in a "CBP human and narcotics detection canine," to which the canine team alerted them to the presence of narcotics.

From there, CBP says officers found a total of 119 packages concealed in the charcoal shipment, and upon further examination, the packages contained methamphetamine with a total weight of 782 pounds.

"This finding represents a significant interception showcasing our officers' dedication to ensuring border security. Our devoted team is focused on safeguarding our communities from harmful drugs, utilizing new and innovative technology to support our comprehensive enforcement strategies."

Rosa Hernandez, Port Director for the Otay Mesa Ports of Entry

CBP says officers seized the tractor-trailer and narcotics.