CBP announces seizure of over 600 pounds of methamphetamine hidden within a shipment of celery

Two weeks after confiscating approximately 4 million blue pills in the largest fentanyl seizure in its history, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility reported on Monday that they intercepted 629 pounds of methamphetamine concealed within a shipment of celery entering the United States from Mexico.

The discovery occurred when CBP officers stopped a 34-year-old man driving , CBP reported through a statement. The driver, who had a valid border crossing card, declared his cargo as celery. Following standard procedures, the vehicle and its contents were directed to a secondary inspection for further examination.

During the secondary inspection, the celery shipment was offloaded, and a CBP K-9 unit was deployed to inspect the produce. The K-9 unit quickly detected the presence of narcotics. A detailed search revealed 508 packages hidden among the celery. Subsequent testing confirmed the packages contained methamphetamine, with a total weight of 629.72 pounds and an estimated street value of $755,000.

CBP officers seized the narcotics and the commercial vehicle involved. The driver was handed over to Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation.

The episode is, surprisingly, not the only CBP seizure involving produce this month. In fact, it's not the only one made by Otay Mesa Commercial Facility as they also seized more than $5 million worth of methamphetamine disguised and concealed within a shipment of watermelons last Friday.

Of the seizures, Port Director for the Area Port of Otay Mesa Rosa E. Hernandez, said:

"I am incredibly proud of our team for their exceptional work over the past few weeks in uncovering sophisticated and diverse smuggling methods. As drug cartels continue to evolve their smuggling techniques, we will continue finding new and better ways to prevent these dangerous drugs and other contraband from entering the country."

Both seizures are part of Operation Apollo, a comprehensive counter-fentanyl initiative that began in southern California in October 2023 and expanded to Arizona in April 2024. The operation emphasizes intelligence collection and collaboration between local CBP field assets and federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners to combat the smuggling of fentanyl into the United States.