Border Patrol K-9 Discovers Largest Fentanyl Cache To Date

SAN CLEMENTE, CA —A woman driving with 140 pounds of narcotics inside her car was arrested last week in what became the largest Fentanyl seizure in San Diego history, according to the U.S Border Patrol.

Border Patrol agents assigned to the San Clemente Station were conducting highway interdiction duties on Jan. 24 when they conducted a vehicle stop on a gray 2016 Nissan Versa on Interstate 5.

The driver consented to a search of the vehicle by a Border Patrol K-9 team when a K-9 alerted officials to the car, they said.

Agents searched the interior compartments and discovered multiple packages of suspected narcotics concealed under the floorboard.

Officers removed a total of 57 packages of suspected narcotics from the vehicle. The substances in the packages tested positive for cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin. There were 34 packages of cocaine weighing approximately 87 pounds, 19 bags of fentanyl weighing about 44 pounds, and four packages of heroin weighing approximately nine pounds. The narcotics have a street value of more than $2,250,000.

Chief Patrol Agent Rodney Scott commended the agents on the historic drug seizure.

The fentanyl seizure in itself was the largest in San Diego to date, just two days before the Nogales Port of Entry’s 254-pound fentanyl seizure, [on Jan. 26, which was] the largest in CBP history, Scott said.

“These two seizures alone had the potential to kill millions of Americans,” he said.

The driver, a 23-year-old Mexican citizen, was arrested. The narcotics and subject were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Border Patrol agents seized the vehicle.

Since October 1, 2018, San Diego Sector agents have seized more than 300 pounds of cocaine, 79 pounds of fentanyl and 975 ounces of heroin.

Border Patrol photo: Jerry Glaser

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