Officers Find Pickup Truck at Border with 102 Packages of Meth Stuffed into Doors, Gas Tank

Officers working at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry discovered 124 pounds of methamphetamine stashed within various doors and compartments in a truck.

At approximately 12:31 a.m. Monday, Customs and Border Protection officers encountered a male, 63, driving a 2007 pickup truck and applying for entry into the U.S. from Mexico.

During initial inspection, they referred the traveler and truck for further examination. A K-9 unit conducted a cursory inspection of the truck, alerting officers to the presence of narcotics.

Officers discovered and extracted a total of 102 packages in the spare tire, gas tank, quarter panels and passenger side doors of the truck. The packages were tested and the contents identified as methamphetamine.

The narcotics and truck were seized and the driver was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations.

These seizures are the result of Operation Apollo, a counter-fentanyl effort that began on Oct. 26, 2023 in southern California and expanded to Arizona on April 10.

The operation focuses on intelligence collection and partnerships, utilizing local CBP field assets augmented by federal, state, local, tribal and territorial partners to boost resources, increase collaboration and target the smuggling of fentanyl into the U.S.