by Kaylee Greenlee
Officials announced the seizure of liquid methamphetamine hidden in a gas tank, more than 800 pounds of marijuana, nearly 15 pounds of fentanyl and over $37 million worth of methamphetamine at the southern border over the weekend, Customs and Border Protection announced Monday.
Officials found liquid methamphetamine in the gas tank of a semi-truck driven by a 25-year-old lawful permanent resident at a Border Patrol checkpoint in Niland, California, on Saturday, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced.
A K-9 unit sniffed out the narcotics during a secondary inspection where agents visually inspected the fuel tanks and noticed a dense cloudy liquid a few inches lower than a clear liquid inside the gas tanks, according to CBP.
A field narcotics test revealed the more dense liquid to have characteristics of methamphetamine, according to CBP. Officials were unable to determine the weight of the narcotics that were seized because of the dangerous state it was transported in.
$37 MILLION METH BUST
CBP officers seized over 1,800lbs of methamphetamine Saturday at Pharr International Bridge in a tractor trailer hauling a shipment of tomatoes.
More via @CBPSouthTexas: https://t.co/d6rxntBRJa pic.twitter.com/6EFoDOxGgR
— CBP (@CBP) December 21, 2020
Near Tucson, Arizona, agents intercepted an illegal immigrant carrying two backpacks full of narcotics that tested positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl on Saturday evening, CBP announced.
Officials seized nearly 14 pounds of fentanyl and 55 pounds of methamphetamine worth $3 million from the individual, according to CBP. The 40-year-old Mexican national who was illegal in the U.S. faces federal charges for drug smuggling.
In Texas, officials seized over 800 pounds of marijuana in three separate instances over the weekend, CBP announced.
During one incident, CBP officials attempted to pull over a vehicle suspected of trafficking narcotics on Saturday, but the suspect driver drove into the Rio Grande River and then swam into Mexico with one passenger, according to CBP. Agents recovered around 348 pounds of marijuana from the vehicle.
Officials seized 1,853 pounds of methamphetamine worth $37 million hidden in a cargo shipment of fresh tomatoes in Pharr, Texas, on Saturday, CBP announced. Over 65o packages of methamphetamine were hidden within the floor of the tractor-trailer.
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Kaylee Greenlee is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.
