Authorities seized nearly $3 million worth of methamphetamine, hidden among a shipment of onions, during a tractor-trailer's inspection at a federal facility in San Diego, officials announced Friday.

A K-9 unit for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection alerted to the trailer's shipment of onions on Sunday and officers found nearly 1,200 small packages of meth, the agency said Friday in a news release.

The 46-year-old driver, a Mexican national who was not named, was arrested for the alleged narcotic smuggling attempt at the Otay Mesa port-of-entry commercial vehicle facility, officials said.

The packages of meth — more than 1,336 pounds (606 kilograms) — were shaped into small globes with a white covering, the agency said and meant to blend into the onions. The drugs are estimated to be worth $2.9 million on the street.

“This was not only a clever attempt to try and smuggle in narcotics, one I haven’t seen before, but also time-consuming to wrap narcotics into these small packages, designed to look like onions,” said Sidney Aki, CBP Director of Field Operations in San Diego, in the news release. “While we have certainly seen narcotics in produce before, it’s unusual for us to see this level of detail in the concealment.”

Share:
More In Culture
On the Scene: Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is one of the most famous attractions in New York City but there's a lot more to this landmark than one may think. Rafael Abreu, vice president of marketing with Statue City Cruises, spoke with Cheddar News to discuss the park's operations and Park Ranger Laurel Brierly also joined from inside the statue's famed crown to talk about visiting the landmark.
An Inside Look at DIBS Beauty With Co-Founder Jeff Lee
Jeff Lee, CEO and co-founder of the DIBS Beauty brand, which is a finalist in the CEW Beauty Awards' make-up tools category, spoke with Cheddar News to discuss his background, career, and success in fashion -- and eventually working with baseball great Alex Rodriguez and influencer Courtney Shields -- after a career as a corporate lawyer.
Load More