Semi had 450 pounds of liquid meth in fuel tanks, Border Patrol says

Operation Apollo leads to stop of truck with concealed illicit stimulant, arrest of Mexican driver

Updated: Jul 22, 2024 / 06:54 PM EDT

This is one of the fuel tanks of a Freightliner commercial truck stopped by Border Patrol near Coachella, Calif. Agents said both of the semi’s tanks concealed 450 pounds of methamphetamine in liquid form.

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EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – A 31-year-old Mexican citizen has been arrested in connection with the seizure of 450 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in the dual gas tanks of a semi.

The arrest and seizure were part of Operation Apollo, which collects intelligence on drug cartels and works with local law enforcement to intercept drug shipments and identify traffickers.

Border agents stopped the orange Freightliner truck on State Highway 86 on July 8 near Coachella, California. A canine officer was called and detected drugs in the vehicle. Agents escorted the Freightliner to the Indio, California, Border Patrol Station and zeroed in on the fuel tanks.

Federal officials in Indio, Calif., placed a 31-year-old Mexican national under arrest in connection with the seizure of 450 pounds of methamphetamine in the gas tanks of a Freightliner semi.

Agents tested the liquid and confirmed the presence of methamphetamine in the tanks, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement.

“Large shipments of methamphetamine such as this pose a risk to Americans on several levels, including increases in crime and decreases in health and safety. Agents in the (sector) will continue to take the fight to smugglers of all types,” said El Centro Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino.

Bovino described the seized meth as a liquid. Drug addiction experts say the highly addictive stimulant is sold as powder, crystal, tablets and often is dissolved into a liquid or brownish base-paste form for transportation. Liquid meth passed off as Mexican fruit juice in sealed plastic jugs has been seized in the past in Arizona.

Federal officials have been running Operation Apollo in Southern California since October 26 and expanded it to Arizona last April 12. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Acting Commissioner Troy Miller was in El Paso just last week to announce Operation Apollo is expanding to the El Paso-Juarez trade corridor.

The mission consists of intelligence gathering and enlisting the cooperation of local and federal interagency partners to assist CBP officers at ports of entry and elsewhere. Its primary goal is fentanyl interdiction as well as the seizure of other illicit drugs, such as methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine.

CBP did not name the driver of the semi-truck carrying liquid meth. No court case information was immediately available, either.