U.S. Border Patrol San Diego Sector seizes two major drug loads on Interstate 5 in less than twelve hours

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. - Agents assigned to the U.S. Border Patrol's San Diego Sector made two significant drug seizures along Interstate 5 (I-5) within 12 hours.

The first seizure took place Wednesday at approximately 3:30 p.m., when Border Patrol Agents from the San Clemente Station stopped a sedan on I-5. During the vehicle inspection, agents discovered plastic-wrapped packages inside of green trash bags, consistent with narcotics packaging. The suspected narcotics, vehicle, and driver were transported to a nearby Border Patrol station for further investigation.

At the station, agents removed four cellophane-wrapped packages which tested positive for heroin. The total weight of the heroin was 11.79 pounds. The vehicle was seized by U.S. Border and the driver and narcotics were turned over to the San Diego Sheriff's Office.

The second incident occurred just 12 hours later, on Thursday at approximately 3:15 a.m., when agents from the San Clemente Border Patrol Station stopped a suspicious pickup truck on I-5. A Border Patrol K-9 team trained to detect the presence of concealed people, narcotics, and other contraband preformed a non-intrusive search of the pick-up and alerted agents to the truck's battery compartment. Inside, they discovered plastic-wrapped packages, consistent with the packaging of smuggled narcotics. The suspected narcotics, vehicle, and driver were then transported to a nearby Border Patrol station for further investigation.

At the station, Agents removed two cellophane-wrapped packages from the battery compartment. The contents tested positive for fentanyl with a total weight of five pounds. U.S. Border Patrol seized the narcotics and the pick-up, and the driver was processed for criminal prosecution.

"Transnational Criminal Organizations continue to use Interstate 5 as a key corridor to smuggle drugs from the border to the interior of the United States." said San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Patricia McGurk-Daniel. "We remain committed to working alongside our local, state and federal partners to protect our communities and disrupt these criminal networks."

These seizures are the result of Operation Apollo, a holistic counter-fentanyl effort that began on Oct. 26, 2023, in southern California, and expanded to Arizona on April 10, 2024. Operation Apollo focuses on intelligence collection and partnerships, and utilizes local CBP field assets augmented by federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners to boost resources, increase collaboration, and target the smuggling of fentanyl into the United States.

Nearly half of the approximately 2,800 pounds of fentanyl seized by the U.S. Border Patrol in Fiscal Year 2023 was encountered in the San Diego Sector which includes approximately 60 linear miles of international border with Mexico beginning at Imperial Beach, Calif.

To prevent the illicit smuggling of humans, drugs, and other contraband, the U.S. Border Patrol maintains a high level of vigilance on corridors of egress away from our Nation's borders. To report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol, contact 911 or San Diego Sector at (619) 498-9900.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is America's frontline: the nation's largest law enforcement organization and the world's first unified border management agency. The 65,000+ men and women of CBP protect America on the ground, in the air, and on the seas. We facilitate safe, lawful travel and trade and ensure our country's economic prosperity. We enhance the nation's security through innovation, intelligence, collaboration, and trust.