U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have intercepted one of the largest heroin smuggling operations in the history of the San Ysidro port of entry, a massive seizure valued at over $13 million on the black market.
This occurred on the afternoon of October 22nd at 5:05 p.m., when a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado approached a primary inspection lane. According to a CBP statement released Wednesday, a K9 unit officer detected irregularities in the vehicle’s spare tire area.
The driver, a Mexican citizen who holds legal permanent residence in the United States, presented his resident card and declared he was traveling to Santa Ana, California, with nothing to report. However, the officer’s suspicions were raised by anomalies spotted during the initial inspection, prompting him to be sent to secondary inspection.
A thorough, non-intrusive examination of the truck revealed inconsistencies in several compartments, including the spare tire, rear seats, glove box, air filter, and fenders. The search uncovered 72 hidden packages with a total weight of approximately 290 pounds (131 kilograms). The substance inside the packages tested positive for heroin.
The driver was immediately taken into custody. Following the seizure, special agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) took over the case, interviewing the suspect. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has since filed formal charges for the importation of narcotics.
