The Department of Justice announced a major drug bust at the Calexico Port of Entry, where authorities uncovered over 1,000 pounds of cocaine hidden beneath the floorboards of a commercial truck entering the U.S. from Mexico.
The half-ton of cocaine, estimated to be worth over $20 million on the street, was discovered inside the floorboards of a commercial truck and flatbed trailer. This marks one of the largest drug busts in Southern California this year.
The seizure was made possible through a joint effort between U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The officers detected anomalies during an X-ray inspection, which led them to unload the rebar and remove the wooden floorboards.
Inside the trailer, authorities discovered 366 packages of cocaine weighing over 1,000 pounds, or approximately 454 kilograms. The sole occupant of the truck, a 44-year-old Mexican national, was arrested and charged with importing cocaine into the United States.
Prosecutors described the seizure as "a tremendous amount of drugs, even by the standards of this district." If convicted, the suspect faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life.
The suspect, who has pleaded not guilty, is scheduled to appear in federal court for a detention hearing on August 3.
