San Diego Chief Patrol Agent Patricia D. McGurk-Daniel has recently voiced her concerns on X (formerly Twitter) about the persistent exploitation of the area by smugglers for human trafficking. This statement was issued in light of recent events where the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) San Diego Field Office intercepted over 14,000 pounds of narcotics that drug traffickers were attempting to smuggle into the U.S. through California ports of entry in November.
McGurk-Daniel said, "Mass incursions continue to occur throughout the San Diego Sector Area of Operations. Yesterday, 75 people were guided by callous smugglers over the border wall near San Ysidro, CA." She further added, "Criminal organizations continue to use people as pawns by placing them into dangerous situations as a means of pulling Border Patrol resources away from our law enforcement mission." Concluding her statement, she emphasized, "The San Diego Sector will continue to address these humanitarian challenges to the best of our ability, while still prioritizing public safety."
According to a press release from CBP, officers assigned to the area seized more than 14,000 pounds of narcotics last month. The confiscated drugs are estimated to be worth tens of millions of dollars. A detailed breakdown reveals that these included 10,609 pounds of methamphetamine, 3,117 pounds of cocaine, 347 pounds of fentanyl and 22 pounds of heroin.
Sidney Aki, CBP Director of Field Operations in San Diego expressed his admiration for his team's dedication and effectiveness. He said: "Our officer's commitment to duty, excellence, and the safety of our nation is commendable beyond words. These impressive results are an outstanding demonstration of the effectiveness to disrupt the illicit importation of narcotics." He further stated: "Our dedicated workforce is committed to protecting American communities from these devastating drugs. Their remarkable efforts truly exemplify the highest standards of service."
The press release also disclosed that the drugs were seized in 182 separate incidents. Homeland Security is handling the investigations on the alleged suspects. All vehicles involved in the smuggling attempts were confiscated by CBP officers. This announcement follows the establishment of a new intelligence-driven CBP counter-fentanyl operation in Southern California, named Operation Apollo.
