More than $5 million worth of meth disguised as watermelons is seized in San Diego, CPB says

SAN DIEGO (CNS) -- More than $5 million worth of methamphetamine wrapped in paper intended to disguise the drug packages as watermelons have been seized in Otay Mesa, border officials said Tuesday.

The drugs were found in 1,220 packages wrapped in green and black paper on a truck that sought entry into the United States last Friday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said.

The agency said the phony watermelons contained a substance that tested positive for methamphetamine. In total, the packages weighed 4,587 pounds. CBP agents seized the truck and the alleged drugs and the 29-year-old man driving the truck was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations.

"I am incredibly proud of our team for their exceptional work over the past few weeks in uncovering sophisticated and diverse smuggling methods," said Rosa Hernandez, port director for the Area Port of Otay Mesa. "As drug cartels continue to evolve their smuggling techniques, we will continue finding new and better ways to prevent these dangerous drugs and other contraband from entering the country."

The announcement followed another recent seizure of meth hidden in a supposed produce shipment. On Aug. 9, more than 600 pounds of methamphetamine were found hidden inside a shipment of celery aboard a truck in Otay Mesa, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials announced this week.

That seizure happened after a commercial tractor-trailer driver sought to cross into the United States from Mexico, but was directed to secondary inspection.

After a drug dog alerted officers to the celery shipment on the truck, CBP officers found 508 packages concealed among the vegetables, which contained 629.72 pounds of methamphetamine worth an estimated $755,000, according to CBP.

The narcotics and the truck were seized, while the 34-year-old driver was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations.

CBP officials said both seizures were part of Operation Apollo, a multi-agency law enforcement operation largely targeting the smuggling of fentanyl into the United States.