Skip to main content

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  1. Home
  2. Newsroom
  3. Local Media Release
  4. Second Large Meth Seizure at Otay Mesa Commercial Facility in a Week

Second Large Meth Seizure at Otay Mesa Commercial Facility in a Week

Release Date
Fri, 05/21/2021

OTAY MESA, Calif. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility discovered more than 1,100 pounds of methamphetamine hidden within a shipment of watermelons. This is the second significant seizure of methamphetamine packages discovered within the same week.

meth
CBP officers at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility 
seized more than 1,100 pounds of methamphetamine
Tuesday.

On Tuesday, at approximately 6:45 p.m., CBP officers encountered a driver, truck and trailer with a shipment manifested as watermelons. During the inspection, a CBP officer referred the driver along with the shipment for an intensive examination.

During the exam, a CBP canine team screened the tractor trailer and alerted to the shipment of watermelons. CBP officers searched the cargo and discovered a combination of 193 wrapped plastic containers and packages of methamphetamine concealed within the watermelon crates. The estimated street value of the methamphetamine is approximately $2.5 million U.S. dollars.

The 47-year-old Mexican male driver was arrested for the alleged narcotic smuggling attempt. CBP officers turned the driver over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations. The driver is currently facing federal charges and has been transported to the Metropolitan Correctional Center in San Diego.

meth and melons
During the exam, a CBP K-9 team screened the
tractor-trailer and alerted to the shipment of
watermelons. CBP officers searched the cargo
and discovered a combination of 193 wrapped
plastic containers and packages of meth.

CBP officers seized the tractor, trailer, and narcotics.

“We don’t frequently see seizures of this size, but they are certainly a risk in the cargo environment,” said Anne Maricich, Acting CBP Director of Field Operations in San Diego. “Stopping over 1,000 pounds of methamphetamine is a critical act for the security and health of our nation.”

Criminal charges are merely allegations.  Defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

CBP officers at the border crossing in Southern California stop illegal activity while processing millions of legitimate travelers into the United States. Those statistics can be found here: CBP-enforcement-statistics

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.

Last Modified: May 21, 2021