According to Customs and Border Protection, these boxes contained 3.5 million fentanyl tablets. (Courtesy of CBP)
San Diego (border report) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents working on the commercial side of the Otay Mesa port of entry between San Diego and Tijuana intercepted 3.5 million fentanyl pills hidden in a shipment of green beans.
According to a CBP news release, the market value of the tablets exceeds $21.1 million.
The bust was made on Monday night.
According to CBP, officers encountered a 48-year-old male driver of a tractor trailer carrying what he described as a shipment of kidney beans.
During the initial inspection, the driver and his truck were ordered to go to areas where “intensive agricultural inspections” would be conducted.
It was described as a non-intrusive scan and showed “irregularities” where officers brought in human drug-sniffing dogs.
According to CBP, K-9 alerted officers to the presence of drugs, and after some time, found and extracted a total of 308 packages hidden within the shipment of kidney beans.
The package reportedly tested positive and its contents were identified as fentanyl pills.
All tablets weighed 776 pounds together, according to CBP.
Rosa Hernandez, Port Director, Otay Mesa Cargo Facility, said: “This seizure provides insight and shows how our officers work together and work together to keep this dangerous drug off the streets.”
CBP said the driver was detained for attempted drug smuggling and turned over to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Officers seized a tractor, trailer, and fentanyl.
