US Customs officers have seized nearly four tons of marijuana worth $2.3 million hidden in a consignment of jalapeno peppers.
A sniffer dog alerted officers to a trailer with a shipment of peppers in San Diego on the border with Mexico.
According to the Customs and Border Protection, “a 37-year-old male Mexican citizen entered the port of entry driving a tractor pulling a trailer with cargo manifested as jalapeno peppers.”
Officers at Otay Mesa cargo facility found 314 packages of marijuana weighing 7,560 pounds (3.4 tonnes) mixed among the jalapeno peppers.
“I am proud of the officers for seizing this significant marijuana load,” said Otay Mesa Port director Rosa Hernandez.
The acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Mark Morgan also shared image of the seized marijuana on his verified Twitter handle and hailed the officers for a job well done.
CBP has seized 113 tons (103 tonnes) of marijuana so far this year, along with 41 tons of cocaine and 27 tons of methamphetamine.
In July authorities seized nearly 20 tons of cocaine with an estimated street value of more than $1 billion from a ship at the port of Philadelphia in one of the largest drug busts in US history.
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