Officers extract 944 pounds of meth from semi truck fuel tank at California cargo facility

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized hundreds of pounds of illegal drugs concealed within the fuel tank of a semi truck passing through the Otay Mesa Cargo Facility.

On March 2, 2026, a 26 year old Mexican citizen driving a tractor trailer entered the Otay Mesa Cargo Facility located in San Diego County, California.

Following an initial inspection, CBP selected the vehicle for additional examination.

“In the secondary inspection area, CBP officers utilized nonintrusive inspection technology to screen the vehicle and referred it for a more in-depth inspection. During the inspection, CBP officers opened the fuel tank of the tractor-trailer and inserted a probe, revealing an unknown gel-like substance mixed within the diesel,” CBP said in a news release announcing the drug seizure.

CBP officers extracted 29 five-gallon buckets of the liquid substance from the truck’s fuel tank. The substance tested positive for methamphetamine.

The total weight of the liquid methamphetamine extracted from the fuel tank was 944 pounds, officials stated.

The driver of the truck was handed over to Homeland Security.

The tractor trailer and the drugs were seized by CBP.

“Thanks to the vigilance and expertise of our officers, we successfully intercepted 944 pounds of liquid methamphetamine concealed within the fuel tank of a tractor trailer,” Otay Mesa Port Director Rosa Hernandez stated. “This significant seizure demonstrates our ongoing commitment to protecting our borders and preventing dangerous narcotics from reaching our communities.”