SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - Border officers seized more than 700 pounds of drugs, valued at more than $3.1 million, and stopped three human smuggling attempts over the weekend.
On Friday, Oct. 13 at about 4 p.m. officers said a 38-year-old female Mexican citizen entered the U.S. through San Ysidro Port of Entry with a minor child, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
An officer conducting inspections looked inside the truck of the vehicle and found three men hiding, later determined to be Chinese nationals by CBP.
Saturday, CBP officers said they stopped a 19-year-old male and his passenger, a 19-year-old female, as they were entering the U.S. through San Ysidro around 2:40 a.m. Officers referred the vehicle to further inspection and located a male Chinese national hiding behind the rear seat.
About five minutes later, a vehicle approached the same port driven by a 24-year-old U.S. citizen who was accompanied by a minor child. CBP officers noticed irregularities along the vehicle's trunk area. They also found someone, a female Mexican citizen, hiding behind the rear seat in the vehicle.
From Friday to Monday, officers also intercepted 546 pounds of methamphetamine, 71 pounds of cocaine, 34 pounds of heroin, and 58 pounds of marijuana in various panels and spaces in vehicles, according to CBP.
"Our officers face a difficult job sorting legitimate travelers from those attempting illegal activity," Pete Flores, Director of Field Operations for CBP in San Diego, said. "In two of these cases, we have mothers coming to the border with children in the car, and a person attempting to enter the U.S. illegally hidden behind the backseat or in the trunk."
CBP seized the vehicles involved and placed an immigration hold on those caught hiding inside of them.
