U.S. customs officials made quite the discovery when they seized more than $5 million (C$6.79 million) worth of methamphetamine that a man was trying to import as watermelons.
Authorities stopped a 29-year-old man last Friday driving a semi-truck from Mexico trying to pass through a California customs post to deliver so-called watermelons.
However, the officers decided to conduct a thorough examination of the shipment. After the inspection, they discovered 1,220 packages wrapped in paper that tried to pass them off as the fruit.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION
“The contents of the packages were tested and identified as methamphetamine, weighing a total of 4,587 pounds. The street value of the drugs is estimated at more than $5 million,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement Tuesday.
The drugs and the vehicle were seized by customs officials, while the driver was handed over to the Homeland Security Investigation Services for further investigation.
“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,” said Rosa E. Hernandez, Otay Mesa Regional Port Director.
