Layer of methamphetamine found in shipment of green onions at California border crossing

In two days, 2.2 tons of hard drugs worth $24 million were seized

EL PASO, Texas (Border protocol) — Smugglers used plastic bags printed with images of green onions to hide methamphetamine in a shipment of … green onions.

The drugs were deep in a shipment of produce that arrived on the afternoon of Oct. 20 at San Diego’s Otay Mesa commercial facility.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said officers found 183 bags of methamphetamine in a pallet of what was supposed to be green onions.

CBP said the meth weighed 1,529 pounds and had an estimated street value of $3.3 million.

The massive drug bust was the first of two in two days at a California port of entry.

Less than 48 hours later, officers discovered the abnormalities when they X-rayed the tractor-trailer, which was supposed to be transporting only electronics.

Upon closer inspection, the drug-sniffing dog drew border guards’ attention to a false wall in the front of the trailer.

CBP officers recovered 195 packages (1,993 pounds) of methamphetamine and 75 packages (1,037 pounds) of cocaine. The street value of the drugs was estimated at $20.8 million.

“CBP officers are on the front lines to stop these dangerous drugs from entering the United States,” said Jennifer De La O, director of field operations for CBP’s San Diego field office. “The lengths to which drug-trafficking organizations are willing to go to hide drug smuggling as well is a testament to how effective our officers are.”

Both drivers, described as men in their 20s, face charges of attempted drug smuggling. CBP turned them over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for a homeland security investigation and seized the vehicles and drugs.