Largest fentanyl seizure in Customs and Border Protection history takes half ton of drugs off the streets
PIMA COUNTY, Ariz. - Around 4 million fentanyl pills, weighing more than 1,000 pounds were seized in the largest fentanyl bust in U.S. Customs and Border Protection's history on July 1.
A second seizure on July 12 resulted in another 270 pounds of meth being taken off the streets.
Combined, the two massive drug busts took millions of dollars out of the hands of drug smuggling organizations, according to a release.
"This is an enormous amount of dangerous drugs that officers at the Port of Lukeville prevented from reaching communities throughout the United States," said Guadalupe Ramierez, the Director of Field Operations at the Tucson office.
Similarities tipped off authorities in both instances
In the first incident, a 20-year-old from Arizona arrived at the port of entry with a customized 2011 pick-up truck carrying a trailer with a sport utility vehicle being towed on it.
Officers noticed alterations to the frame of the trailer, which tipped them off to perform an additional inspection.
The additional inspection revealed 234 packages concealed in the trailer frame that contained 4 million pills of fentanyl.
In the second seizure, officers discovered 270 pounds of meth transported similarly, in a pick-up truck towing a utility trailer.
Officers performed an additional examination on the vehicle with a canine team that discovered 39 packages of meth, totaling nearly 272 pounds and an additional five pounds of cocaine.
The second truck was driven by a 45-year-old Mexican citizen.