Close to Half a Million Dollars’ Worth of Meth and Fentanyl Seized at Border as Migrant Caravan Approaches

CALEXICO, Calif. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Calexico West Port of Entry discovered close to half a million dollars’ worth of methamphetamine and fentanyl.

The incident occurred on Sunday, June 4, at approximately 1 p.m., when a 24-year-old female driver of a 2013 black Nissan Maxima applied for entry into the United States.

CBP officers referred the car and driver aside for a more intensive inspection.  The vehicle went through a machine, similar to an x-ray, that revealed anomalies in multiple areas of the vehicle.  A CBP human/narcotic detecting dog screened the vehicle and alerted CBP officers to the presence of narcotics.

During the inspection, CBP officers discovered and extracted a total of 175 packages from doors, rear quarter panels, rear seats, floor, rocker panels, center console, and gas tank of the vehicle.  The narcotics were tested and identified as methamphetamine and fentanyl with a combined weight of approximately 216.35 pounds.

CBP officers arrested the driver, a valid B1/B2 border crossing card holder, for the alleged narcotic smuggling attempt; she was turned over to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations for further processing.  The driver was later transported and booked into the El Centro Detention Facility.

The narcotics have an estimated street value of $472,740.

The bust happened just as an estimated 15,000 South and Central American migrants head to the U.S. border in hopes of gaining entry by either through asylum given by the Biden administration or illegal entry as is more likely.