$2.3 million worth of marijuana found in shipment of jalapeños at Southern California port
Officials say they seized $2.3 million worth of marijuana mixed in with a shipment of jalapeño peppers at a Southern California port. A Customs and Border Protection K-9 unit alerted officers to a shipment of peppers Thursday at the Otay Mesa cargo facility in San Diego.
A CBP news release said officers discovered more than 7,500 pounds — nearly 4 tons — of marijuana in the peppers' pallets.
The release mentioned CBP found a "37-year-old male Mexican citizen entered the port of entry driving a tractor pulling a trailer with cargo manifested as jalapeño peppers."
Acting CBP Commissioner Mark Morgan congratulated the officers on Twitter and noted it was the second large seizure of marijuana there within days.
Very proud of our CBP officers in Otay Mesa! Last night they seized 7,560 pounds of marijuana in a shipment of jalapeno peppers and on Tuesday they seized another 10,642 pounds of marijuana in a shipment of plastic auto parts. Well done! pic.twitter.com/4EnoDGXWl3
— Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan (@CBPMarkMorgan) August 17, 2019
Authorities seized more than 10,600 lbs of marijuana in a shipment of plastic auto parts at the port Tuesday.
In July, a cargo ship that was seized with nearly 20 tons of cocaine on board — with an estimated street value of $1.3 billion — belonged to JP Morgan Chase. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it was the largest vessel ever seized in the agency's 230-year history.