Over two days, Customs and Border Protection officers at Otay Mesa Port of Entry Commercial Facility made eight separate interceptions of cocaine smuggling attempts. According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the efforts prevented over 240 pounds of cocaine from potentially making its way into the United States. The seized narcotics led to the arrest of eight drivers, all visa holders, and the confiscation of multiple commercial tractor-trailers.

The first bust saw a 31-year-old man apprehended at approximately 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. A K-9 unit alerted CBP officers to a hidden compartment in the floor of the cabin, which yielded 46.82 pounds of cocaine. Less than an hour later, a 39-year-old driver was stopped, and officers soon uncovered another floor compartment to seize 61.11 pounds of the drug. Moments later, at 3:11 p.m., a similar find was made within another tractor-trailer, resulting in a 63.44-pound cocaine haul.

The following day, CBP officers quickly responded to five more smuggling endeavors. Utilizing non-intrusive imaging technology, the officers identified anomalies in the passenger-side floors of two separate tractor-trailers around 3:00 p.m., leading to the discovery of 30.99 pounds of cocaine. Other seizures at 3:10 p.m., 3:45 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. rounded out the day with a combined total of almost 48 pounds seized.

"These seizures are a testament to the exceptional training, skills, and dedication of our officers," expressed Rosa E. Hernandez, Port Director for the Area Port of Otay Mesa. She lauded the effort, as reported by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, stating, "Within just two days, their vigilance and expertise resulted in eight significant cocaine seizures. I am incredibly proud of their relentless efforts to prevent dangerous narcotics from entering our communities."

All suspects were subsequently turned over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations for processing. The narcotics, along with the vehicles, were seized.