TECATE, Calif. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Tecate Port of Entry uncovered 133.11 pounds of methamphetamine hidden within a toolbox and canopy bag in a truck during K-9 operations.
On July 17, around 5:58 p.m., a 33-year-old man driving a 2020 truck sought entry into the United States from Mexico. A CBP K-9 unit, conducting a preliminary inspection, detected the presence of narcotics, prompting officers to refer the vehicle and driver for further inspection.
In the secondary inspection area, CBP officers used non-intrusive inspection technology, which revealed anomalies in the truck. Officers subsequently discovered and seized 35 packages containing methamphetamine, weighing a total of 133.11 pounds.
Rosa Hernandez, Port Director for the Area Port of Otay Mesa, praised the CBP Canine Teams for their diligence and expertise in the operation. She stated, “This significant interception underscores the vital importance of our ongoing efforts under Operation Apollo X to disrupt criminal supply networks and keep narcotics out of our nation’s communities.”
The driver was handed over to Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation, and the narcotics and vehicle were seized by CBP officers.
The seizure is part of Operation Apollo, a comprehensive counter-fentanyl initiative that began in southern California on October 26, 2023, and expanded to Arizona on April 10, 2024. The operation focuses on intelligence collection and partnerships, utilizing local CBP field assets along with federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners to enhance resources, collaboration, and efforts to target the smuggling of fentanyl and other narcotics into the United States.