Border Patrol agents in the San Diego sector made a substantial fentanyl bust this week, which is being spearheaded by a collaborative effort of local and federal law enforcement agencies to combat narcotics. This operation forms part of an ongoing crackdown on drug trafficking across the U.S.-Mexico border.
"$3,500,000 worth of fentanyl pills seized Thursday near Temecula, CA. More than 81 lbs! We will continue to serve on the frontlines against fentanyl by disrupting & ultimately dismantling the drug trafficking organizations who profit from this poison.", said Patricia D. McGurk-Daniel.
Before delving into the details of the recent bust, it's critical to provide some background on previous instances.In October, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers from the San Diego Field Office broke up a smuggling endeavor of liquid methamphetamine hidden in the fuel tanks of a commercial tractor, according to a news release.
Moving chronologically forward from there,The incident happened on Oct. 3 when a 49-year-old woman requested entry to the United States via the Otay Mesa cargo facility by presenting a valid B1/B2 border crossing card, according to a news release.
Expanding further on that particular case,She was referred to the secondary inspection area for further examination by CBP officer who found 942.12 pounds of liquid methamphetamine concealed in the tractor’s fuel tanks, according to the news release. A total of 30 five-gallon buckets with an estimated street value of $1.4 million were obtained by CBP officers.
To highlight how seriously these matters are taken at all levels,"Our officers are 100% committed to safeguarding our borders and are dedicated to disrupting drug trafficking organizations," said Rosa Hernandez, port director for the Otay Mesa port of entry.
To put into context the scale of these operations,The seizure is part of the recently announced Operation Apollo, that yielded 1,800 pounds of methamphetamine, 2,100 pounds of cocaine, 111 pounds of heroin and 1,285 pounds of fentanyl in the San Diego area during fiscal year 2023, according to the news release.
Lastly,A news release states that Operation Apollo is a combined regional operation involving federal, state and local agencies working together in an effort to keep fentanyl and other illicit synthetic narcotics off the streets.
