Trusted Traveler Arrested at Calexico Port with Methamphetamine
Above: Stock Image
“At approximately 4:33 p.m., officers encountered a 34-year-old woman driving a 2019 sedan seeking entry into the United States from Mexico through the SENTRI Trusted Traveler Program vehicle lanes. After initial inspection, CBP officers referred the driver and vehicle for further examination.
In the secondary inspection area, a non-intrusive vehicle scan was performed using a port imaging system. CBP officers detected irregularities in the door panels and dashboard. A CBP K-9 team responded and alerted to the presence of narcotics.
Officers discovered and extracted a total of 91 packages hidden within the vehicle’s doors and dashboard. The contents of the packages were tested and identified as methamphetamine with a total weight of 99.91 pounds.
“Narcotics traffickers try to find easy ways to get narcotics across the border and may target members from the Trusted Traveler Program,” said Port Director Roque Caza for the Area Port of Calexico. “We want to remind the traveling public that when you cross the border, you are responsible for yourself, your passengers, your vehicle, and its contents.”
The narcotics and vehicle were seized by CBP officers, and the driver was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation.
This seizure is the result of Operation Apollo, a holistic counter-fentanyl effort that began on October 26, 2023, in southern California, and expanded to Arizona on April 10, 2024. Operation Apollo focuses on intelligence collection and partnerships, and utilizes 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 United States.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is America’s frontline: the nation’s largest law enforcement organization and the world’s first unified border management agency. The 65,000+ men and women of CBP protect America on the ground, in the air, and on the seas. We facilitate safe, lawful travel and trade and ensure our country’s economic prosperity. We enhance the nation’s security through innovation, intelligence, collaboration, and trust.”
Seized Drugs | Courtesy of USBP
