Watermelon shipment contained 2 tons of meth in packaging, CBP says

EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) — As if they were small gifts, smugglers wrapped the packages of meth in striped, bright green plastic, making them look like miniature watermelons.

Each bundle of meth resembled a small watermelon piñata or a paper watermelon lantern. They arrived at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility in San Diego last Friday in a tractor-trailer driven by a 29-year-old man who was reportedly hauling real watermelons, though it’s unclear whether the truck was actually carrying fruit.

During a more thorough inspection, officers discovered 1,220 packages of meth hidden inside.

In total, border officials found 4,587 pounds of methamphetamine, worth more than $5 million, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.

As if they were small gifts, smugglers wrapped the meth packages in bright green, striped plastic wrapping, making them resemble small watermelons.

Rosa E. Hernandez, port director of the Port of Otay Mesa, praised the agents for uncovering “sophisticated and diverse smuggling methods.”

“As drug cartels continue to evolve their smuggling techniques, we will continue to find new and better ways to prevent these dangerous drugs and other contraband from entering the country,” she said.

CBP agents seized the narcotics and the truck, while the driver was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation, CBP said.