CBP Officers Take $4 Million in Cocaine at San Diego Port

Cocaine Seizure at San Ysidro Port of Entry

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry recently confiscated over 225 pounds of cocaine during a smuggling attempt. This incident, which occurred in late April, illustrates the agency’s ongoing efforts to dismantle cartel operations while navigating the challenges posed by the enhanced border security measures put in place by President Trump.

According to CBP officials, a 21-year-old American male was trying to cross the border in a Ford F-250 pickup. Officers grew suspicious and directed him to a secondary inspection area for a more detailed examination. During this inspection, an imaging system, along with a CBP canine team, detected anomalies in the vehicle.

A subsequent physical search uncovered 81 packages containing a substance that tested positive for cocaine, hidden inside the vehicle’s spare tire and gas tank. The total weight of the drugs was approximately 225.44 pounds, with an estimated street value of around $4.3 million, as reported by authorities.

Under President Trump’s stricter border security policies, enforcement at land ports has intensified, allowing officers to concentrate on inspections and enforcement. Meanwhile, the CBP-One smartphone app introduced by Biden permits up to 1,400 migrants daily to enter land ports to initiate asylum claims, diverting some CBP personnel from their enforcement roles to assist with processing these migrants.

Between 2023 and January 2025, nearly 1 million asylum seekers utilized this program, although Trump canceled it shortly after assuming office.

This significant drug seizure follows other measures by the Trump administration aimed at combating Mexican drug cartels, including the designation of several as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) in early 2025. The U.S. State Department’s declaration recognized six major Mexican cartels, along with El Salvador’s Mara Salvatrucha gang and Venezuela’s Torren de Aragua gang.

Cartels have been increasingly inventive in smuggling valuable human targets, which results in significant profits for FTOs. CBP officers have had some success in hindering these operations as well.

On the same day that cocaine was intercepted at San Ysidro, CBP officers at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry uncovered another smuggling attempt involving Chinese nationals. Officers had pulled over a 20-year-old U.S. citizen driving a Toyota Camry for a secondary inspection after an imaging system identified an issue on the dashboard. Upon searching the car, they found a 31-year-old Chinese woman hidden in a non-factory space within the dashboard.

Sidney K. Aki, Director of San Diego Field Operations, spoke about the incident, noting the inventive and perilous techniques smugglers use to transport drugs and people across borders. He emphasized the determination of CBP agents in thwarting these smuggling endeavors, regardless of how well they are concealed, highlighting their critical role in community safety.