CBP Officers Find $1 Million Cache of Methamphetamine in SENTRI Member’s Car

Otay Mesa, CA. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Otay Mesa port of entry recently discovered almost 54 pounds of methamphetamine hidden throughout a vehicle, driven by a SENTRI participant.

On Wednesday, January 11, at about 5 a.m., a 30-year-old male U.S. citizen driving a 2000 Honda Civic entered the port of entry through a designated SENTRI vehicle lane. During the inspection, the CBP officer referred the driver and vehicle for a more in-depth investigation.

CBP officers ran the vehicle through the port’s imaging system which revealed anomalies with the car. CBP officers searched the vehicle and extracted 36 wrapped packages of methamphetamine from the door panels, quarter panels, and spare tire, with a street value of about $1 million.

The driver, a resident of Tijuana, was arrested and booked into the Metropolitan Correctional Center. CBP seized the vehicle and methamphetamine.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.