United States Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) last week seized thousands of pounds of cannabis hidden a shipment of limes headed from Mexico into the U.S.
On Monday, June 4, at around 4:00 p.m., a 74-year-old Mexican male driving a tractor-trailer pulled into the Otay Mesa port of entry.
According to the manifest, the trailer was carrying a shipment of limes, but when a CBP officer flagged the truck and its shipment for a more thorough examination, further inspection revealed additional cargo.
CBP officers found the trailer filled with boxes that supposedly contained limes, but an officer probed one of the boxes and extracted a leafy green substance that reportedly produced a positive result on a field test for cannabis.
“Criminals and other bad actors will try to get past us but CBP officers are focused on protecting our communities from illicit drugs,” said Division Director Rosa Hernandez. “I am so proud of the officers for their efforts and know that they will continue to target these dangerous shipments.”
According to CBP, officers found a total of 468 large wrapped packages containing more than 11,000 pounds of cannabis.
CBP estimated the street value of the cannabis to be approximately $8.4 million.
Officers seized the tractor, trailer, and all cargo, including the cannabis, before relinquishing custody of the driver to Homeland Security Investigations.
