Calexico, Calif. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Calexico East cargo facility intercepted almost 3,000 pounds of marijuana worth a million dollars hidden in a shipment of alfalfa.
The incident occurred on Friday, August 16, when officers encountered a 1996 Freightliner tractor-trailer that had entered the cargo facility with a commercial shipment of alfalfa. A CBP officer referred the tractor and trailer to the dock for further examination.
During an intensive inspection, CBP officers utilized the port’s imaging system and detected anomalies in the cargo. A canine team screened the conveyance and the detector dog alerted to the bales of alfalfa inside the trailer.
Officers subsequently discovered 111 wrapped packages of marijuana concealed inside 11 of the bales, weighing 2,707 pounds.
CBP seized the narcotics and conveyance.