By SDCN Editor
San Diego, CA–U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers assigned to the San Diego Field Office, conducting security operations at California’s ports of entry with Mexico, seized over $22 million worth of illicit and dangerous drugs during the month of July.
The San Diego Field Office comprises the ports of entry at San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, San Diego air and seaport, the Cross Border Xpress facility, Calexico East/West, Tecate, and Andrade.
In July, the narcotics seized at those ports were 33 pounds of marijuana ($66,000), 40 pounds of heroin ($325,800), 729 pounds of cocaine ($7,934,400), 765 pounds of fentanyl ($8,672,500), and 3,888 pounds of methamphetamine ($5,832,000).
“These impressive results are credited to the men and women serving on the front lines at our ports of entry,” said Sidney Aki, Customs and Border Protection Director of Field Operations in San Diego. “Their unwavering attention to detail and proactive approach have undoubtedly contributed to the success of keeping these dangerous drugs out of our communities.”
In total, an estimated $22,830,700 worth of narcotics were interdicted in 197 separate incidents.
The suspects involved in smuggling the illegal narcotics were arrested and turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation and processing. The narcotics and any associated vehicles used to smuggle the drugs were seized by CBP officers. The San Diego Field Office will continue to work closely with federal, state, local, and Mexican law enforcement partners to crack down on drug smuggling.