SAN YSIDRO, Calif., – CBP officers assigned to the San Ysidro Port of Entry made a significant discovery last Friday evening, intercepting approximately 187 pounds of cocaine concealed within the rear cargo area of a commercial passenger bus.
The discovery took place around 8:20 p.m. when CBP officers encountered a 51-year-old man driving an empty commercial passenger bus who was applying for admission into the United States from Mexico. Following initial inspection, CBP officers referred the driver and bus for further examination.
In the secondary inspection area, a non-intrusive scan of the bus was performed using the port's imaging system. The scan revealed irregularities in the bus’s rear cargo hold area. A CBP K9 team responded and alerted officers to the potential presence of narcotics. Upon further examination, CBP officers discovered dozens of suspicious packages concealed within the rear cargo hold.
CBP officers extracted a total of 70 packages from inside a non-factory compartment located in the side walls of the bus. Testing confirmed the packages contained cocaine with a total weight of 187.92 pounds.
“Constant innovation is a cornerstone of CBP’s strategy to improve efficiency and security,” said Mariza Marin, Port Director of the San Ysidro Port of Entry. “By leveraging technology as a resource multiplier, we optimize our productivity without comprising the highest level of security. This seizure is a testament to our CBP officers’ hard work and dedication.”
The subject was turned over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for further investigation. The narcotics and commercial passenger bus were seized by CBP officers.
This seizure is the result of Operation Apollo, a holistic counter-fentanyl effort that began on Oct. 26, 2023, in southern California, and expanded to Arizona on April 10, 2024. Operation Apollo focuses 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.