US border agents seize $5 million worth of meth hidden in fake watermelons

Aug 23

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Mirlie Larose (Producer), Mathew Grisham (Digital Producer), Jack Henry (Video Editor)

Drug smugglers are broadening their horizons in their attempts to get illegal drugs into the U.S. This time, border agents intercepted a truck carrying more than $5 million worth of methamphetamine. The drugs were disguised to look like over 1,000 watermelons at a border crossing in San Diego.

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This comes just a week after officials at the same border crossing discovered nearly 300 kilograms of meth hidden in a shipment of celery. Combined, these two seizures account for more than $6 million worth of illicit drugs.

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Over 4,000 pounds of methamphetamine, wrapped in plastic and painted in different shades of green, were seized by border agents. The fake watermelons were also hidden among real watermelons, and shipped across the Otay Mesa border crossing.

Officials say this method of smuggling drugs by concealing them within produce is nothing new. While banana shipments are usually a popular choice, gouda cheese and avocados are known to be favorites for smugglers.

U.S. Cutoms and Border Protection officials stated that their officers flagged the truck, which was listed as watermelons. Further inspection revealed the massive haul of methamphetamine. The driver of the truck was handed over to Homeland Security as the investigation continues.

Mexican drug cartels remain the leading producers and suppliers of methamphetamine to the United States.

Tags: Border, Border crossings, Border patrol, Drug cartels, Drug Enforcement Administration, Drug smuggling, methamphetamine, San Diego, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S.-Mexico Border

Karah Rucker

DRUG SMUGGLERS ARE BROADENING THEIR HORIZONS IN THEIR ATTEMPT TO GET ILLEGAL DRUGS INTO THE U-S.

BORDER AGENTS INTERCEPTED A TRUCK CARRYING MORE THAN $five-million-dollars WORTH OF METHAMPHETAMINE DISGUISED INSIDE A SHIPMENT OF OVER ONE-THOUSAND WATERMELONS AT A BORDER CROSSING IN SAN DIEGO.

THIS COMES JUST A WEEK AFTER OFFICIALS AT THE SAME BORDER CROSSING DISCOVERED NEARLY 300 KILOGRAMS OF METH HIDDEN IN A SHIPMENT OF CELERY. COMBINED THESE TWO SEIZURES ARE WORTH $SIX-MILLION-DOLLARS.

OVER FOUR-THOUSAND-POUNDS OF METHAMPHETAMINE, WRAPPED IN PLASTIC AND PAINTED IN SHADES OF GREEN TO RESEMBLE THE FRUIT, WERE SEIZED BY ORDER AGENTS. THE DRUGS WERE CLEVERLY HIDDEN AMONG REAL WATERMELONS IN a SHIPMENT THAT WAS INTERCEPTED AT THE OTAY MESA BORDER CROSSING.

OFFICIALS SAY THIS METHOD OF SMUGGLING DRUGS BY CONCEALING THEM WITHIN PRODUCE IS NOTHING NEW. WHILE BANANA SHIPMENTS HAVE BEEN A POPULAR CHOICE, OFFICERS HAVE ALSO RECENTLY FOUND NARCOTICS HIDDEN INSIDE GOUDA CHEESE AND AVOCADOS.

US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION OFFICIALS STATED THAT THEIR OFFICERS FLAGGED THE TRUCK, WHICH WAS LISTED AS WATERMELONS. BUT FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THE MASSIVE HAUL OF METHAMPHETAMINE. THE DRIVER OF THE TRUCK WAS HANDED OVER TO HOMELAND SECURITY FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION.

MEXICAN DRUG CARTELS REMAIN THE LEADING PRODUCERS AND SUPPLIERS OF METHAMPHETAMINE TO THE UNITED STATES.

WE’LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS STORY AND HAVE UPDATES ON THE ONGOING EFFORTS TO CURB THE FLOW OF ILLEGAL DRUGS INTO THE COUNTRY- AND YOU CAN TOO. DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP – AND SIGN UP FOR UPDATES SO YOU NEVER MISS A STORY.