Feds find $4 million worth of cocaine disguised in semi’s shipment of decorative stone

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in California recently discovered millions of dollars worth of drugs cleverly concealed within a commercial shipment of decorative stone.

The drug bust occurred on January 11, 2023, at the Tecate Cargo Facility in San Diego.

CBP officers encountered a 36 year old truck driver hauling a shipment manifested as decorative stone.

The truck was referred for a secondary inspection.

During the inspection, CBP officers “randomly offloaded” part of the shipment and noticed “an anomaly on one of the stones.”

A canine unit was brought in and the dog alerted to the presence of drugs.

CBP discovered 57 cellophane wrapped packages of cocaine that were concealed within a plaster-like material designed to appear like stones.

Officers ultimately seized 256 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of $4.1 million, according to a CBP news release.

The cocaine, tractor, and trailer were seized by CBP.

The truck driver, a Mexican citizen, was handed over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations.

“It is evident from the immense efforts to conceal these narcotics that our officers are effective in the jobs that they do,” said Jennifer De La O, CBP Director of Field Operations in San Diego. “The men and women of CBP are relentlessly working together to stop the negative impacts that narcotics have in the communities.”