Customs officers discover $235K worth of meth hidden in pickup truck

CALEXICO, Calif. — Customs officers at the California-Mexico border seized 200 packages of methamphetamine that were concealed inside a pickup truck, authorities said.

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According to a news release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a 26-year-old male attempted to drive the pickup into the U.S. from Mexico at about 1:43 a.m. PDT on Thursday.

Agents at the Calexico West Port of Entry referred the man and his vehicle to a secondary inspection, customs officials said in the release.

After the examination, the CBP agents “observed irregularities” throughout the vehicle. A canine enforcement team was deployed to inspect the vehicle, and the animals alerted agents to the presence of narcotics.

Customs officers removed 200 packages of methamphetamine from the vehicle’s spare tire, four doors, tailgate, engine bay, center console and back seat, officials stated.

The packages weighed 235.37 pounds and all of them tested positive for methamphetamine.

Officials said the estimated street value of the drugs is $235,370.

“This smuggling attempt is a reminder that no matter how ingenious the ploy, our CBP officers remain vigilant and prevail over these dangerous and illegal actions,” Roque Caza, area port director for Calexico, said in a statement.

The driver was detained and surrendered to Homeland Security Investigations for further processing, officials said. Customs officers seized the vehicle and drugs.