Bad apples spoil produce shipment with $19M of meth

Date: 
Wednesday, 12 August 2020 - 1:59am

19mU.S. Customs & Border Protection, Office of Field Operations officers at the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility hit it out of the park again with the seizure of another huge load of alleged methamphetamine worth $19.8 million discovered in a commercial produce shipment arriving from Mexico.

“This is another significant strike our officers have made on the methamphetamine smuggling industry,” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, port of Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas. “Large seizures like this one underscore the severity of the drug threat and show that our officers remain fiercely dedicated to upholding our border security mission.”

On Aug. 7, a 29-year-old man, a Mexican citizen from Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico arrived at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge cargo facility driving a tractor-trailer containing a commercial shipment of produce. A secondary inspection of the conveyance resulted in CBP officers discovering 521 packages of alleged methamphetamine weighing 992 pounds concealed within the floor of the trailer.

CBP OFO seized the narcotics, the tractor-trailer and arrested the driver. Agents with Homeland Security Investigations continue with the investigation.

About D. Otani Produce

In business since 1989, D. Otani Produce, Inc. has grown into one of Hawaii’s largest produce wholesalers, enjoying business with hotels, restaurants, local business institutions. We are also a major distributor to Hawaii’s retailers.

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D. Otani Produce
1321 Hart St
Honolulu, HI 96817

Phone: (808) 509-8350

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