Marijuana worth $27M hidden in papaya shipment in southern California

Marijuana worth $27M hidden in papaya shipment in southern California

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Marijuana worth $27M hidden in papaya shipment in southern California

Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 12,000 pounds of marijuana hidden within a shipment of papayas hauled by a big rig at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.

The marijuana had a street value of $27 million, Times of San Diego reports.

The incident occurred late Monday afternoon when a 50-year-old Mexican man entered the port with a shipment manifested as fresh papayas.

A CBP officer referred the driver to the port’s X-ray imaging system, which showed an anomaly. A drug-sniffing dog then indicated the presence of drugs. Officers seized 873 packages of marijuana mixed with the papayas.

ā€œCBP officers are vigilant to stop those who intend to do harm in our communities and at the border, as they attempt to enter the U.S.,ā€ said Anne Maricich, acting director of field operations in San Diego. ā€œTheir enforcement efforts and experience are put to the test regularly.ā€

The driver was arrested and the truck and its contents seized.

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