237 kilos of cocaine and 12.65 kilos of fentanyl seized in Tijuana
Original reporting: AF Medios
What happened
Federal authorities reported seizing suspected cocaine and fentanyl from a tractor-trailer at the Otay crossing in Tijuana; the driver was detained and referred to prosecutors.
Reporting and context
Federal authorities seized 237 kilograms of suspected cocaine and 12.65 kilograms of fentanyl during an inspection at the Otay crossing in Tijuana, Baja California, according to AF Medios. The operation involved Mexico's National Customs Agency (ANAM), the Defense Secretariat, the National Guard and the Secretariat for Security and Citizen Protection.
AF Medios reported that officers stopped a tractor-trailer as it attempted to cross the border and, with help from a detection dog named Chocolate, found a hidden compartment in the trailer. Authorities said the compartment contained 195 packages: 184 packages containing suspected cocaine and 11 containing suspected fentanyl. The combined weight was approximately 249 kilograms.
The driver was detained and informed of his legal rights, then placed at the disposal of the appropriate Public Prosecutor's Office together with the truck and the seized substances. The ministerial authority will determine the detainee's legal status and continue investigating the origin and intended destination of the drugs. Authorities said the seizure formed part of continuing customs-intelligence, risk-analysis, inspection and surveillance efforts to strengthen controls over foreign-trade operations and prevent illicit trafficking through the country's customs facilities.