Fake watermelon packaging containing meth worth over $5M seized at US-Mexico border.
Officials reported that the contraband drugs were concealed in inflatable containers that resembled the fruit.
Border agents at the U.S.-Mexico border discovered a "sordid scenario" when they found over $5 million in methamphetamine hidden inside inflatable watermelons, as part of the ongoing efforts of Mexican cartels to smuggle illegal drugs across the border.
A man driving a commercial tractor-trailer filled with watermelons aroused suspicion among U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents.
The tractor-trailer aimed to enter the U.S. through the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility in San Diego, according to authorities.
It was discovered that among the shipment of actual watermelons, approximately 1,220 fake watermelons were found to contain 4,587 pounds of methamphetamine.
An inflatable-like watermelon disguise was used to conceal the illicit drug.
The packages were found to contain methamphetamine weighing 4,587 pounds and worth more than $5 million.
Port Director Rosa Hernandez described the method of concealment as "sophisticated."
"Hernandez expressed pride in his team's exceptional work in uncovering complex smuggling methods over the past few weeks. He stated that as drug cartels continue to develop their smuggling techniques, his team will continue to find innovative ways to prevent dangerous drugs and contraband from entering the country."
In Atlanta, a record-breaking amount of crystal meth was seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), resulting in the retrieval of illegal narcotics.
The DEA announced that celery shipments were used to hide drugs, according to a press release.
The largest meth seizure made by DEA Atlanta weighed 2,585 pounds and was worth approximately $3.2 million.
The DEA Atlanta Division's special agent, Robert J. Murphy, stated that the seizure indicates the "confidence" of the Mexican cartels.
""The quantity of drugs being shipped at once to a distant location is astonishing and indicates the cartel's self-assurance," Murphy stated."
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security was contacted by Planet Chronicle Digital for comment.
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