Nearly 4 Tons of Weed Discovered in Shipment of Jalapeños

pot in peppers

A shipment of jalapeños contained far more than a few pallets of peppers after officials seized nearly four tons of marijuana that was nearly smuggled into the U.S. through the Otay Mesa border facility in Southern California, officials said.

The shipment, valued at just over $2.3 million, was discovered by Customs and Border Protection officers after a 37-year-old Mexican citizen entered the Otay Mesa port of entry while driving a tractor that was puling the trailer filled with jalapeño peppers. Officers referred the trailer to secondary inspection where a canine team alerted on the pepper shipment. When CBP officers took a closer look at the peppers, they discovered over 300 wrapped green packages of pot.

“I am proud of the officers for seizing this significant marijuana load,” said Otay Mesa Port Director, Rosa Hernandez. “Not only did they prevent the drugs from reaching our community, they also prevented millions of dollars of potential profit from making it into the hands of a transnational criminal organization.”

It's unclear whether the truck's driver was charged or arrested. The seizure comes just a few days after an even larger shipment of marijuana was discovered at the same border facility.

Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection


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