In a significant narcotics bust, San Diego Sector Border Patrol agents intercepted a large quantity of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, after a routine checkpoint stop on Interstate 8 near Pine Valley. The seizure occurred Thursday afternoon when a 22-year-old male was referred for a secondary inspection leading to the discovery of the drugs, according to Customs and Border Protection.

Detailed scrutiny by a Border Patrol K-9 team resulted in the alert that urged further search of the vehicle's trunk, unveiling nine cellophane bags filled with suspicious blue pills. Upon testing, the pills returned positive for fentanyl with an approximate weight of 168 pounds and an estimated street value of $1.3 million. The young driver, an American citizen, along with the seized narcotics, was handed over to the San Diego Border Crime Suppression Team for state prosecution, and the Border Patrol retained the vehicle.

San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Patricia McGurk-Daniel highlighted the significance of the bust in combating the opioid epidemic. "Fentanyl is a major factor in the record number of overdoses occurring in our nation," she said via the Customs and Border Protection media release, "I applaud our agents’ vigilance and commitment to keeping our communities safe from this dangerous poison." 

The fentanyl seizure is part of Operation Apollo, a collaborative regional initiative that includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies united to counter the threat posed by fentanyl, among other illicit drugs. The operation has already made significant strides, with the San Diego Sector of the Border Patrol being responsible for nearly half of the approximately 2,800 pounds of fentanyl seizures in Fiscal Year 2023. For the current fiscal year, agents in the area have confiscated around 600 pounds of fentanyl. More details on Operation Apollo are accessible on the initiative's web page.