By SDCN Editor
San Diego, CA–U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers from the San Diego Field Office ports of entry sealed the month of August with notable figures, successfully seizing 10,827 pounds of narcotics worth millions of dollars in 108 separate incidents.
While conducting security operations, officers seized 9,525 pounds of methamphetamine, 968 pounds of cocaine, 298 pounds of fentanyl, and 36 pounds of heroin, an estimated street value of over $21 million. The narcotics intercepted were encountered in 108 separate incidents.
All suspects involved in the incidents were arrested and turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation. The narcotics and associated vehicles used to smuggle drugs into the United States were seized by CBP officers.
The San Diego Field Office encompasses ports of entry within Southern California including San Ysidro, San Diego air and seaport, Otay Mesa, Tecate, Calexico East/West, and Andrade. San Diego CBP officers work closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement to combat drug trafficking networks.
“At the San Diego Field Office, our mission is clear: to protect our borders, safeguard our nation, and ensure the safety of our communities,” said Sidney Aki, CBP Director of Field Operations for San Diego. “These numbers highlight our successful efforts in employing a multi-faceted approach to dismantle transnational criminal organizations. By utilizing cutting-edge technology and fostering vital partnerships, we are enhancing our capabilities to disrupt drug smuggling operations and prevent narcotics from entering our communities.”
These seizures are the result of Operation Apollo, a holistic counter-fentanyl effort that began on Oct. 26, 2023, in southern California, and expanded to Arizona on April 10, 2024. Operation Apollo focuses on intelligence collection and partnerships and utilizes local CBP field assets augmented by federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners to boost resources, increase collaboration, and target the smuggling of fentanyl into the United States.
