Charcoal shipment to California hides methamphetamine worth $1M, CBP says

April 22 (UPI) -- A recent charcoal shipment at a California facility was discovered to be hiding more than $1 million worth of methamphetamine, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Monday, as they announced the narcotics seizure.

CBP officers discovered the 782 pounds of narcotics Thursday night at the Otay Mesa Cargo Facility, just north of the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego, inside of a tractor-trailer with a shipment manifested for charcoal.

The 46-year-old male driver, who was a valid border crossing card holder, had his tractor-trailer flagged for further examination, during which scanning technology detected irregularities, according to CBP.

More CBP officers and a narcotics detection canine were brought in and discovered 119 packages concealed within the shipment of charcoal, which were identified as methamphetamine. Officers seized the narcotics, as well as the truck and trailer.

"This finding represents a significant interception showcasing our officers' dedication to ensuring border security," said Rosa Hernandez, port director for the Otay Mesa Ports of Entry. "Our devoted team is focused on safeguarding our communities from harmful drugs, utilizing new and innovative technology to support our comprehensive enforcement strategies."

Thursday's seizure was the result of Operation Apollo, a stepped-up effort that launched last October in southern California and this month in Arizona, to stop drugs from crossing into the United States. CBP says the operation relies on partnerships between agents and state, local, tribal and territorial partners to stop drug trafficking.

On Friday, Operation Apollo helped CBP officers seize 50 pounds of methamphetamine found in an ice chest full of fish as it was crossing into southern California.

"Drug traffickers will go to great lengths in an attempt to deceive our officers," Roque Caza, Calexico Area Port director said last week. "I'm proud of our highly trained officers working diligently every day to combat these dangerous drugs that have claimed so many lives."