Customs and Border Protection officers at the Presidio Port of Entry in West Texas say they pulled more than 22 kilograms of fentanyl out of a pickup truck’s spare tire, stopping a load of an exceptionally potent synthetic opioid before it could move deeper into the country. The driver, a U.S. citizen who had just crossed from Ojinaga, Mexico, was arrested and now faces federal importation and possession‑with‑intent‑to‑distribute charges.
How officers uncovered the stash
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the bust happened on July 15, when officers sent a 2018 Dodge Ram to secondary inspection. Nonintrusive imaging flagged irregularities in the truck’s spare tire, so inspectors opened it up and found multiple packages that weighed a combined 22.4 kilograms. CBP said the driver was taken into custody and charged under federal drug statutes.
CBP credits technology and training
“The vigilance of our Customs and Border Protection officers has resulted in a significant seizure of the highly addictive and dangerous narcotic fentanyl,” Ray Provencio, director of CBP’s El Paso Field Office, said in the agency’s statement. Provencio said the case highlights why CBP leans on both trained officers and screening technology at remote ports such as Presidio.
How big is the haul?
By weight, 22.4 kilograms is not the largest drug bust on record. In terms of potential harm, though, it is massive. Using the Drug Enforcement Administration guideline that about 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be a potentially lethal dose, that shipment could translate to roughly 11.2 million such doses. As reported by KOSA/First Alert 7, officers found the narcotics concealed inside the truck’s spare tire, and the DEA has repeatedly warned that even tiny amounts can be deadly.
Wider public‑health toll
Fentanyl and other illicit synthetic opioids have driven most recent U.S. overdose deaths. Data from the National Center for Health Statistics show tens of thousands of deaths involving synthetic opioids in 2024, a backdrop that helps explain why border seizures like this draw intense scrutiny. In its data brief on overdose trends, the CDC notes that synthetic‑opioid deaths rank among the largest contributors to U.S. overdose mortality in recent years.
Small crossing, big seizures
Presidio is a relatively small and rural crossing, but federal officials say traffickers sometimes favor out‑of‑the‑way ports for moving drugs and weapons. Local coverage has documented earlier busts at the Presidio port, including a recent weapons case involving a car crammed with guns and ammo that was reportedly headed into Mexico, underscoring the outsized role this quiet crossing can play in broader smuggling routes.
Legal implications
Federal authorities have charged the driver with importation and possession with intent to distribute, under 21 U.S.C. § 952 and 21 U.S.C. § 841. Depending on lab confirmation of the substance, the total weight, and any prior criminal history, those charges can carry lengthy prison sentences and steep fines under federal law. Officials say the investigation is ongoing.
The seizure tracks with officials’ repeated warnings about the lethality of illicit fentanyl and the stakes of cross‑border enforcement meant to keep such shipments out of U.S. communities. Federal agents and prosecutors are continuing to work the case, and authorities have not released the driver’s name while prosecution and further review move forward.
