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  4. CBP Officers Find More than 250 Packages of Methamphetamine and Cocaine Hidden Under Mattress

CBP Officers Find More than 250 Packages of Methamphetamine and Cocaine Hidden Under Mattress

Release Date
Fri, 09/21/2018

CALEXICO, Calif.  — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Calexico East commercial facility port of entry found more than 256 packages of methamphetamine and cocaine hidden under a mattress in a tractor truck.

“Commercial commodities that cross through the port of entry are vital to our economy and to our region.  We have to protect and secure this essential supply chain,” said Area Port Director David Salazar. “The enforcement efforts demonstrated in this seizure exhibit how CBP guards and protects our community.”

At approximately 7:26 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 19, CBP officers encountered a 50-year-old Mexican citizen with a valid B1 visa driving a tractor pulling a trailer that entered the cargo facility carrying a manifested shipment of “green onions.”  The officer conducting the inspection detected abnormalities in the mattress located in the sleeper area and referred the truck and shipment for an x-ray examination.

During the x-ray exam, CBP officers identified an anomaly and sent the truck and shipment to the dock for a more intensive examination.  A CBP officer with a human-narcotic detector dog screened the contents of the truck and trailer, and the canine alerted to the tractor truck. 

During the intensive inspection, officers found 252 wrapped packages of methamphetamine, and four packages of cocaine hidden under the mattress in the tractor cab’s sleeper area.

The weight of the narcotics was 305 pounds of methamphetamine, and six pounds of cocaine with a combined estimated street value of $838,000.

CBP officers seized the tractor, trailer, cargo shipment and narcotics.

The driver, a resident of Mexicali, Baja Mexico, was arrested for the alleged narcotic smuggling attempt.  CBP officers turned him over to Homeland Security Investigations agents for further processing.  He was later transported to the Imperial County Jail where he currently awaits arraignment.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021