Drug packages disguised as watermelons seized at Otay Mesa border crossing: officials

More than $5 million worth of methamphetamine was seized in Otay Mesa, in paper wrapped to disguise the packaging as watermelons, border officials said Tuesday.

The drugs were found in 1,220 packages wrapped in green and black paper on a truck attempting to enter the United States last Friday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said.

The agency said the fake watermelons contained a substance that tested positive for methamphetamine. In total, the packages weighed 4,587 pounds. CBP agents seized the truck and the suspected drugs, and the 29-year-old man driving the truck was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations.

“I am incredibly proud of our team for their exceptional work over the past few weeks in exposing sophisticated and diverse smuggling methods,” said Rosa Hernandez, Port Director for the Area Port of Otay Mesa. “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.”

The announcement follows another recent seizure of meth hidden in an alleged shipment of products. On Aug. 9, more than 600 pounds of methamphetamine were found hidden in a shipment of celery aboard a truck in Otay Mesa, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said this week.

The seizure occurred after a truck driver attempted to enter the United States from Mexico but was referred for a secondary inspection.

After a drug-sniffing dog alerted officers to the truck’s cargo of celery, CBP officers found 508 packages hidden among the vegetables, containing 620 pounds (281.6 kilograms) of methamphetamine, worth an estimated $755,000, CBP said.

The narcotics and the truck were seized, while the 34-year-old driver was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations.

According to CBP officials, both seizures were part of Operation Apollo, a multi-agency law enforcement operation focused primarily on the smuggling of fentanyl into the United States.