CBP intercepts 120 pounds of fentanyl pills concealed in vehicle at Calexico border crossing

At the Calexico border crossing, Border Patrol intercepted approximately 120 pounds of blue fentanyl pills concealed in a vehicle.

The fentanyl was found on the afternoon of Monday, September 16. A 27-year-old woman driving a white sedan drove through the SENTRI lane of the port. CBP officers conducted an initial inspection and referred the driver and vehicle for further investigation.

After the initial inspection, CBP officers referred both the driver and the vehicle for further investigation.

During the secondary inspection, CBP officers used non-intrusive inspection technology to screen the vehicle and detect any anomalies.

A CBP K9 team conducted a cursory inspection of the vehicle and alerted officers to the presence of narcotics.

Upon further investigation, CBP officers found a total of 82 packages hidden in the vehicle’s doors, side panels, spare tire and bulkhead.

The contents of the packages were tested and identified as fentanyl weighing a total of approximately 54 kilograms.

“Our agents successfully intercepted a significant quantity of blue fentanyl pills, thwarting a significant threat to community safety,” said Roque Caza, Port Director for the Port of Calexico. “I am extremely proud of our agents, whose continued dedication and tireless vigilance played a significant role in disrupting drug trafficking along our southern borders.”

CBP agents seized the narcotics and the vehicle. The driver was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation.

This seizure is part of Operation Apollo. Operation Apollo is a joint regional operation of federal, state, and local agencies working together to combat the threat of fentanyl and other illegal synthetic narcotics. More information about Operation Apollo can be found here.

Fentanyl is the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45.

According to public health statistics, there were 550 known fentanyl-related deaths across the province in 2023. That’s a 9% increase from 2022, when there were 503.

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is produced in foreign laboratories, primarily in China. The synthetic opioid is smuggled across the U.S.-Mexico border by drug cartels.

Fentanyl is 80-100 times more potent than morphine and can be mixed with a wide range of street narcotics and prescription drugs without a user knowing what they are consuming. Ingestion of as little as two milligrams can be fatal.