Drug traffickers attempting to smuggle methamphetamine into America through the San Diego border sector are repeatedly thwarted by local and federal authorities. These operations are part of a larger regional initiative that collaborates with different agencies to prevent the spread of illicit drugs.
According to Jason Owens, "11/30: Through collaborative efforts, USBP agents in El Centro/San Diego & Riverside County Sheriffs interdicted $270K worth of controlled substances and $20K in currency. More than 5 lbs. of Cocaine & 200 lbs. of Meth will be safely destroyed & kept out of your communities."
The statement from Owens follows the disclosure that Border Patrol in San Diego Sector had seized more than $281,940 worth of methamphetamine during a vehicle inspection on Interstate 8 last month, as revealed in a news release by Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). The agents stopped a blue truck near the Buckman Springs exit on the interstate. During their conversation with the driver, they noticed four large bags in the bed of the pickup truck. This discovery led them to call for a Border Patrol K-9 team which confirmed the presence of narcotics. The duffle bags contained 188 pounds of methamphetamine packed in bundles within clear packages.
Following this finding, both the driver and the confiscated drugs were transferred to the San Diego County Sheriff's Office for further investigation and processing while Border Patrol seized the vehicle as reported by CBP's media release.
Chief Patrol Agent Patricia D. McGurk-Daniel reaffirmed her team's dedication towards this cause stating, "Our agents will continue to work tirelessly to ensure our communities are safe and that these dangerous drugs stay off our streets."
This incident is one among many facilitated by Operation Apollo - a joint regional operation involving federal, state, and local agencies working together to eliminate fentanyl and other synthetic narcotics off streets. The recently announced results for fiscal year 2023 showed a yield of 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.
