U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers recently seized a large amount of illegal drugs from the fuel tank of a semi truck at a California border crossing.
The drug seizure took place around 8:40 p.m. on September 7 at the the Otay Mesa commercial facility.
CBP officers encountered a 25 year old driver in a commercial vehicle applying for entry into the U.S.
The truck was referred for a closer inspection.
During the “hands-on” physical inspection, officers noticed that a liquid substance inside the fuel tank had started to crystalize. The substance tested positive for liquid methamphetamine.
CBP offloaded the drugs into six five-gallon buckets with a total weight of 195.33 pounds.
The estimated street value of the drugs is $221,500.
The truck, trailer, and methamphetamine were seized by CBP.
The driver was handed over to Homeland Security Investigations.
“This unusual concealment method shows that drug traffickers will try anything to get their product across our borders,” said Rosa Hernandez, Port Director for the Otay Mesa port of entry. “I am proud of the remarkable job our Otay Mesa CBP officers do every day, because even in this extreme weather, they do not lower their guard when it comes to protecting our nation’s borders.”