Drug trafficking continues to be a significant problem along the U.S.-Mexico border.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection reportedly found over 400 pounds of cocaine hidden in a tractor-trailer’s fuel tanks on Friday. The discovery was made during an inspection at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility as a commercial tractor-trailer was seeking entry into the U.S. from Mexico.
During an inspection of the vehicle, a canine unit notified CBP officers to inspect the truck’s fuel tanks. The drugs were concealed in a “non-factory compartment inside both fuel tanks of the semi-truck,” CBP officials announced in a press release. There were a total of 160 packages hidden in the secret department that contained 412.26 pounds of cocaine.
The driver of the truck, a yet-to-be-identified 35-year-old man, was a valid border crossing card holder, according to CBP. He was “referred for further examination by CBP officers along with the tractor and empty trailer.” Later, it was revealed that CBP turned him over to Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation.
“The continued success of OFO canine teams in the detection of narcotics is a team effort,” stated Port Director Rosa E. Hernandez. “We will continue to conduct operations, including Operation Apollo, while leveraging intelligence and investigative information to target drug traffickers’ supply chains.”
The efforts to discover the drugs and seize the contraband were part of the CBP initiative known as Operation Apollo. This government program implemented by the Biden administration centers on “intelligence collection and partnerships, and utilizes local CBP field assets augmented by federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners to boost resources, increase collaboration, and target the smuggling of fentanyl into the United States.”
The program’s main objective was to combat the fentanyl crisis plaguing the country. The program went into effect in California in October 2023, according to a release by CBP. It was later expanded to include Arizona in April 2024.
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“The Department of Homeland Security is combating the scourge of fentanyl and other illicit synthetic narcotics with every tool at our disposal,” Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas said in October 2023. “We have stopped more fentanyl in the last two years than in the previous five years combined and continue to optimize our intelligence and field operations to stop these deadly substances from hitting our streets.”
“At the same time, we are cracking down on the ruthless cartels and criminal organizations that are responsible,” Mayorkas said. “CBP plays a critical role, working together with our federal, state, and local partners, and this strategy builds on the tremendous talent of a workforce fiercely dedicated to protecting the American people. The scope of the fentanyl challenge our country faces underscores the need for Congress to provide CBP with the additional resources, equipment, and personnel required to continue this critical work, as outlined in the Administration’s supplemental budget request.”
