SAN DIEGO (Fox 5 San Diego)— Two men were detained last week in separate attempted smuggling incidents at the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa ports of entry, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The first incident occurred around 5:15 a.m. Wednesday at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. CBP officers were inspecting a pickup truck being driven by a 71-year-old man going through the dedicated commuter lane, CBP said in a news release. Officers noticed the spare tire on the truck had been tampered with and referred the vehicle to secondary inspection. After scanning the truck, a narcotic detector dog was requested.
Fifty-four concealed packages containing narcotics were found in the spare tire by officers, CBP said. The drugs were identified as methamphetamine with a total weight of 49.03 pounds and a street value estimated at $322,480.
The second incident happened around 4:50 a.m. Thursday at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry when a 21-year-old man attempted to enter the U.S. in a Toyota sedan through the dedicated commuter lanes, according to officials. The vehicle was forwarded for further inspection, where concealed packages were found within the rear backseats. The packages were found to be carrying narcotics, CBP said.
According to CBP, the car had 20 packages of cocaine with a total weight of 52.11 pounds and an estimated street value of $827,400.
Both vehicles and the narcotics were seized by officers. The two men were detained on suspicion of attempted narcotic smuggling and turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for further processing, officials said.
The identities of the men were not released, but both were members of the SENTRI program, which offers expedited screenings and dedicated “express lanes” for pre-approved, low-risk travelers entering the U.S., according to CBP.
“All SENTRI applicants undergo a rigorous background check, provide biometric information including fingerprints, and an in-person interview as part of the approval process,” the news release said.