CALEXICO, CA - A criminal act was carried out in the vegetable category last week. It was discovered at the Calexico East Cargo Facility in California that a tractor-trailer carrying Brussels sprouts was also concealing $4 million worth of narcotics.
“Smugglers are constantly utilizing innovative methods to conceal narcotics,” said Roque Caza, Calexico Area Port Director. “By combining officer intuition and utilizing advanced technology, officers were able to make a notable discovery within a shipment of produce. Excellent work by our CBP officers.”
On June 2, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers encountered a shipment manifested for Brussels sprouts. During the initial inspection, a CBP officer referred the driver and tractor-trailer for further examination, a press release noted.
While a non-intrusive inspection was conducted of the tractor-trailer and its shipment, irregularities were observed. A CBP human/narcotics detector dog later alerted CBP officers to the presence of narcotics.
CBP officers discovered and extracted a total of 148 packages concealed within the floor and roof of the trailer. The narcotics were tested and identified as methamphetamine with a total weight of 2,052.2 pounds and an estimated street value of $4,309,620.
The driver was detained for the alleged narcotics smuggling attempt and CBP officers seized the tractor, trailer, and narcotics.
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