More On: 5000 Pounds of Meth
Federal Agents Seize 5,000 Pounds of Meth, a Record for a Border County in California
In San Diego County, California, law enforcement officers from the federal and local levels recovered a record-breaking amount of methamphetamine associated with cartels. The drugs were loaded onto a 20-foot box truck and were said to be the greatest seizure ever made in San Diego County.
According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California, on July 7, federal investigators saw a box truck enter the country through the Otay Mesa Commercial Port of Entry. Authorities followed the truck until it arrived in National City, California. The suspected drug traffickers unloaded the vehicle into a Dodge van as the agents observed.
At that time, according to the prosecution, police intervened and detained Rafael Alzua, 37; Mario Contreras, 41; Ethgar Velazquez, 44; and Galdrino Contreras, 41. According to authorities, all four accused are citizens of Tijuana, Mexico.
More than 5,000 pounds of drugs were discovered when the boxes were opened and later tested for methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman stated in a written statement that "this is a remarkable achievement by our law enforcement partners." The government prevented the distribution of more than 5,000 pounds of methamphetamine on our streets thanks to the excellent work of law enforcement officers.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the San Diego County Sheriff's Office, the Border Crime Suppression Team, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Border Patrol are all looking into the case.
"This significant seizure signals another victory against narcotics gangs that feed addiction in the United States," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Shelly S. Howe. We will continue to obstruct the flow of drugs into our cities coming from the cartels thanks to our fantastic partnerships with other law enforcement organizations.
Sheriff Anthony C. Ray of San Diego County continued, "I am appreciative of the diligence, watchfulness, and unwavering commitment of our Sheriff's Detectives, as well as of our regional, state, and federal colleagues. We are able to share information thanks to our relationship and cooperation, which is essential for preventing drugs from reaching our streets and holding drug traffickers accountable.
The four Mexican males are now accused with conspiring to distribute meth. Each would be subject to a fine of up to $10 million and a jail term ranging from ten years to life if found guilty.
The document tracking system did not yet have access to court data.
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