Executive Director Rebekah Salazar, Privacy and Diversity Office | U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Agents from the U.S. Border Patrol's San Diego Sector conducted two major drug seizures on Interstate 5 within a span of twelve hours. The first incident occurred on Wednesday at around 3:30 p.m., when agents stopped a sedan on I-5 near San Clemente. During the inspection, agents found plastic-wrapped packages inside green trash bags, which were suspected to contain narcotics. The driver, vehicle, and packages were taken to a nearby station for further investigation.
At the station, agents discovered four cellophane-wrapped packages that tested positive for heroin, weighing a total of 11.79 pounds. The vehicle was seized by U.S. Border Patrol, and the driver along with the narcotics were handed over to the San Diego Sheriff's Office.
The second seizure took place approximately twelve hours later on Thursday at 3:15 a.m., when agents stopped a suspicious pickup truck on I-5. A K-9 team trained in detecting concealed people and contraband conducted a search and alerted agents to the truck's battery compartment. Inside, they found plastic-wrapped packages consistent with smuggled narcotics packaging.
At the station, two cellophane-wrapped packages were removed from the battery compartment and tested positive for fentanyl with a total weight of five pounds. The pickup truck was seized by U.S. Border Patrol, and the driver was processed for criminal prosecution.
San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Patricia McGurk-Daniel stated, "Transnational Criminal Organizations continue to use Interstate 5 as a key corridor to smuggle drugs from the border to the interior of the United States." She added that they are committed to working with local, state, and federal partners to protect communities and disrupt criminal networks.
These operations are part of Operation Apollo, an initiative aimed at countering fentanyl smuggling that began in October 2023 in Southern California and expanded into Arizona in April 2024. The operation focuses on intelligence collection and partnerships involving local CBP field assets supported by federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners.
Nearly half of the approximately 2,800 pounds of fentanyl seized by U.S. Border Patrol in Fiscal Year 2023 was encountered in the San Diego Sector. This sector includes about 60 miles of international border with Mexico starting at Imperial Beach.
To prevent illegal smuggling activities, U.S. Border Patrol maintains vigilance along corridors leading away from national borders. Suspicious activities can be reported by contacting 911 or calling San Diego Sector at (619) 498-9900.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), as America's frontline law enforcement organization and unified border management agency, employs over 65,000 personnel dedicated to protecting America across various terrains while facilitating safe travel and trade.
