CBP stops loads of ‘purple’ fentanyl powder from Mexico

EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – Border officers foiled two separate attempts to smuggle into the U.S. from Mexico multi-kilo amounts of purple-colored fentanyl powder meant to entice young people into using drugs.

Both seizures totaling 40 kilograms (88 pounds) of the highly addictive and often fatal drug took place this month at the Calexico West port of entry in California.

“Criminal organizations employ strategic methods, like smuggling vividly colored substances such as purple colored fentanyl powder, to entice younger individuals and maximize their profits,” said Roque Caza, Port Director for the Area Port of Calexico.

The Drug Enforcement Administration first warned the public of the Mexican drug cartels’ efforts to boost fentanyl sales by making pills more visually attractive and marketing them online.

“Brightly colored fentanyl is being seized in multiple forms, including pills, powder and blocks that resembles sidewalk chalk,” the DEA said earlier. “Despite claims that certain colors may be more potent than others, there is no indication […] that this is the case. Every color, shape and size of fentanyl should be considered extremely dangerous.”

The first bust in Calexico took place at 3:29 p.m. July 20, as U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers sent a Mexican national driving a 2024 pickup to a secondary inspection at the port of entry.

CBP officers took a full scan of the truck and noticed something strange in the spare tire. A CBP canine officer confirmed the presence of narcotics, the agency said in a statement. The tire allegedly concealed 48 pounds of purple-colored fentanyl powder.

A day later at 10:20 p.m., border officers referred another suspicious vehicle to secondary inspection. An X-ray scan revealed irregularities in the dashboard of the SUV driven by a 31-year-old woman, and a drug-sniffing dog confirmed the presence of narcotics, CBP said.

Border officers pulled 16 packages of purple fentanyl powder from the dashboard. The powder weighed 40.5 pounds, CBP said.

The narcotics were seized as evidence and both drivers were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations. CBP said the busts came about as a result of Operation Apollo , a multi-agency, counter-fentanyl initiative relying on intelligence on the movements of drug cartels and on a surge of officers to target areas.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to BorderReport.