Trucker arrested for smuggling 300 pounds of fentanyl and meth in bunk

A truck driver has been arrested after authorities found 300 pounds of methamphetamine and fentanyl hidden under his bunk.

According to a press release from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, at 7:00 am on July 23, 2020, the truck, which was hauling recycled cardboard, entered Otay Mesa Port of Entry in San Diego. The truck was sent for an imaging scan.

“CBP officers completed the imaging scan and found anomalies in the cab of the truck.  Another CBP officer went in to inspect the truck cab,” the press release states.

During the inspection, the CBP officer lifted the sleeper and found two black duffel bags inside.  CBP officers removed 64 cellophane-wrapped packages from inside the bags; 59 of the packages contained 286 pounds of methamphetamine and five contained 26 pounds of fentanyl.

“Even in the midst of a global pandemic, we continue to see attempts to move hard narcotics across the border and into U.S. communities,” said Pete Flores, Director of Field Operations for CBP in San Diego.  “CBP officers at all of our nation’s legal border crossings remain on the job and vigilant during these unprecedented times.”

The 36 year old truck driver, a Mexican nationalist, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations.

“According to the DEA, fentanyl, which can be up to 50 times more potent than heroin, is extremely dangerous to law enforcement and anyone else who may come into contact with it. As a result, it represents an unusual hazard for law enforcement,” the press release states.