CALEXICO, Calif.—A motorist was taken into custody after attempting to smuggle a ton of methamphetamine worth more than $4 million across the border in a tractor-trailer containing Brussels sprouts, authorities said June 10.
The arrest was reported by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers June 8 after they stopped a 51-year-old man driving a tractor-trailer.
“Smugglers are constantly utilizing innovative methods to conceal narcotics,” said Roque Caza, Calexico Area Port Director.
At the checkpoint, an inspection was conducted, and the CBP requested a narcotics detector dog to screen the cargo, resulting in the finding of 148 packages concealed within the floor and roof of the trailer. The narcotics were tested and identified as methamphetamine, weighing over 2,000 pounds, with an estimated street value of about $4.3 million, according to CBP Officers.
“By combining officer intuition and utilizing advanced technology, officers were able to make a notable discovery within a shipment of produce. Excellent work by our CBP Officers,” said Caza.
The driver was detained and handed over to Homeland Security Investigations.
