U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers (CBP) at the San Ysidro Port of Entry seized over $11 million worth of blue fentanyl pills concealed in a vehicle Sunday.
At approximately 8:20 p.m., a CBP K-9 unit conducting pre-primary inspections encountered a 37-year-old man driving a 2008 sedan applying for admission into the United States from Mexico at the San Ysidro POE.
During initial examination, the CBP K-9 unit alerted officers to the glove compartment area, indicating the possible presence of narcotics. A CBP officer referred the driver and the vehicle for further inspection.
In the secondary inspection area, CBP officers extracted a total of 100 packages containing blue pills concealed within the vehicle’s dashboard and within the front passenger seats. The contents of the packages were tested and identified as fentanyl. An estimated 561,000 pills were ultimately discovered, with a total weight of 123.6 pounds, and an approximate street value of $11,220,000.
“Fentanyl is a very lethal drug that continues to be encountered along our southern border,” said Mariza Marin, Port Director for the San Ysidro Port of Entry. “I’m very proud of the exceptional work by our officers who skillfully interdict illicit narcotics on a daily basis.”
The subject was turned over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation. The narcotics and vehicle were seized by CBP officers.
This seizure is part of Operation Apollo. Operation Apollo is a joint regional operation comprised of federal, state, and local agencies working to combat the threat from fentanyl, and other illicit synthetic narcotics. More information about Operation Apollo can be found here.
