US Customs and Border Protection officers have made a significant narcotics interception, discovering methamphetamine worth approximately $10.3 million concealed within a shipment of lettuce at the Texas-Mexico border.
The Thanksgiving Salad That Never Was
In a press release that blended seriousness with dark humour, CBP officials described the seized drugs and lettuce as "a salad unfit for this year's Thanksgiving table." The discovery occurred on Friday at the Pharr International Bridge crossing, where a commercial vehicle attempting to enter Texas from Mexico was subjected to inspection.
Carlos Rodriguez, the port director, stated: "Within a shipment of salad greens, our frontline officers discovered contraband that does not belong on any holiday table. As this seizure aptly illustrates, our officers' use of tools and technology were instrumental in this massive takedown of hard narcotics."
Scale of the Operation
The sheer volume of drugs discovered was substantial. Authorities recovered 500 individual packages of methamphetamine with a combined weight of approximately 1,153 pounds (523 kilograms). The street value of the confiscated substances was estimated at $10.3 million.
This interception forms part of broader efforts by US authorities to disrupt drug trafficking routes into the country. The seizure coincided with military strikes by the Trump administration targeting alleged drug trafficking vessels in Caribbean and Pacific waters.
Pattern of Produce Concealment
Drug cartels appear to be increasingly sophisticated in their concealment methods, frequently using legitimate food shipments to disguise narcotics. Recent months have seen several similar interceptions:
- In August 2024, approximately two tonnes of crystal meth were discovered inside packages designed to resemble bright green watermelons at the Otay port in San Diego, California. Hidden among genuine watermelons, 1,220 counterfeit watermelons contained 4,587 pounds of meth valued at $5 million.
- On August 8, DEA agents in Atlanta found over 2,500 pounds of meth worth $3.2 million concealed among boxes of celery at a state farmers market in Forest Park, Georgia.
- Another celery shipment intercepted at Otay Mesa contained 629 pounds of meth, declared simply as celery by the 34-year-old driver.
- In May 2024, authorities discovered six tonnes of meth worth more than $18 million hidden inside a squash shipment in California.
- During 2023, 3,000 pounds of meth and cocaine were found in bins of jalapeño paste being transported across the border.
Rosa Hernandez, port director at another interception point, commented: "As drug cartels continue to evolve their smuggling techniques, we will continue finding new and better ways to prevent these dangerous drugs and other contraband from entering the country."
According to US authorities, traffickers have employed various produce items beyond lettuce, watermelon, and celery, including green beans, sugar, flour, and even candy to disguise cross-border drug shipments.
