Over one ton of drugs have been seized by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the San Ysidro border crossing between the US and Mexico in San Diego within a month. The street value of these drugs is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
According to statistics released by the CBP on August 29, officials at the San Ysidro port of entry discovered a total of 2,627.80 pounds (1.19 tons) of drugs in 50 cases in July this year. Suspects have been continuously changing tactics to smuggle drugs from Mexico into the US. Some hid drugs inside vehicles crossing from Mexico into the US — in tires, gas tanks, modified glove compartments, among other places; others mixed drugs within cargo inside the vehicles.
The latest statistics from the CBP show that in July, a total of 39,800 pounds (18 tons) of drugs were seized across the US, with nearly half coming from the southern border (17,900 pounds, 8.1 tons), over half coming by sea routes (21,100 pounds, 9.6 tons), and only a small portion originating from the northern border (752 pounds, 0.34 tons). From the start of the fiscal year last October until July this year, a total of 431,000 pounds (215.5 tons) of drugs have been seized across the US.
The drugs confiscated at the San Ysidro port of entry in July include:
– 173.91 pounds of fentanyl
– 18.24 pounds of heroin
– 169.5 pounds of cocaine
– 2,266.15 pounds of methamphetamine
Mariza Marin, the port director at San Ysidro, stated, “CBP officers will continue to utilize their skills and expertise to intercept illegal drugs at port of entry. Our staff is dedicated to protecting the American people from the harm of these dangerous substances.”
CBP reported that they initiated a comprehensive anti-fentanyl operation called “Operation Apollo” in Southern California from October 26, 2023, to combat and prevent fentanyl from entering the US.
According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in May this year, an estimated 107,543 people died from drug overdoses across the US in 2023. #