EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in San Diego seized more than $67 million in illegal drugs across separate hauls in July, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said.
Officers with CBP's San Diego Field Office, which includes seven ports of entry along the California-Mexico border, made the seizures amid the Trump administration's crackdown to secure the southern border.
"Day after day, our officers remain steadfast in their mission to protect our communities and secure our borders," said Sidney Aki, CBP San Diego director of field operations. "These significant narcotics seizures reflect their vigilance, professionalism, and commitment to keeping dangerous drugs out of the United States."
Between July 1 and July 31, officers in the San Diego office seized 8,359 pounds of drugs during 144 smuggling attempts.
The hauls included 553 pounds of fentanyl, 36 pounds of heroin, 2,572 pounds of cocaine and 5,077 pounds of methamphetamine. In total, the drugs had an estimated street value of $67 million, DHS said.
In addition, earlier this month, a 22-year-old Mexican citizen was found with 16 pounds of fentanyl — with an estimated street value of nearly $240,000 — hidden inside an electric moped attempting to enter the United States through the San Ysidro Port of Entry, which separates San Diego from Tijuana, Mexico.
CBP recently announced that officers stopped a vehicle carrying a rocket-propelled grenade launcher tube and other weapons as it attempted to cross from Arizona into Mexico.
In addition to the weapon, authorities said they found four rifles, an Avtomat Kalashnikova AK-style pistol, 16 AK rifles, 24 rifle magazines, 16 rifle stocks and 20 pistol grips.