Meth worth over $5M concealed in fake watermelon packaging seized at US-Mexico border
Authorities said the illicit drugs were smuggled in inflatable packages disguised as the fruit
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Border agents at the U.S.-Mexico border intercepted a "seedy situation" when they encountered over $5 million in methamphetamine disguised in inflatable watermelons in the continued saga of Mexican cartels attempting to smuggle illicit drugs through the border.
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents grew suspicious of a 29-year-old man who was driving a commercial tractor-trailer filled with watermelons.
Authorities said the tractor-trailer was seeking to gain entry into the U.S. at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility near San Diego.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A secondary point of inspection discovered that, among the shipment of actual watermelons, around 1,220 fake watermelons were found to contain 4,587 pounds of methamphetamine.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility seized more than $5 million in methamphetamine disguised and concealed within a shipment of watermelons last Friday. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
Further inspection revealed the illicit drug was carefully packaged in an inflatable-like watermelon disguise.
The contents of the packages were tested and identified as methamphetamine with a total weight of 4,587 pounds and a street value of more than $5 million.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CBP officers found 4,587 pounds of meth in a shipment of phony watermelons. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
Port Director Rosa Hernandez described the method of concealment as "sophisticated."
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"I am incredibly proud of our team for their exceptional work over the past few weeks in uncovering sophisticated and diverse smuggling methods," Hernandez said. "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."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Special agents assigned to the DEA Atlanta Division made a record-breaking seizure Aug. 8 when they seized more than a ton of crystal methamphetamine during an enforcement operation at the Atlanta State Farmer’s Market in Forest Park, Ga. (Drug Enforcement Administration )
The retrieval of the illegal narcotics came after the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Atlanta seized a record-breaking amount of crystal meth.
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The drugs were concealed in shipments of celery, the DEA said in a press release.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The discovery was DEA Atlanta's largest meth seizure, with 2,585 pounds of the dangerous drug. The wholesale value of this seizure is approximately $3.2 million.
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents grew suspicious of a man driving a truck filled with watermelons. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Robert J. Murphy, special agent in charge of the DEA Atlanta Division, said the seizure shows the "confidence" of the Mexican cartels.
"This is a significant and unbelievable amount of drugs to be shipped at one time and to a destination this far from the border," Murphy said. "It also shows the confidence of the cartel behind this."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News Digital reached out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for comment.