CBP seizes $2.8M in cocaine and meth at southern border as two suspects are arrested

FIRST ON FOX: US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently seized more than $2.8 million worth of cocaine and methamphetamine from back-up buses transporting suspected drug smugglers along the southern border.

CBP officers found more than 430 kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in California, on April 7 and 8.

They first seized cocaine after a 51-year-old Mexican man who was driving a Toyota Prius was sent for a second test.

After an alert from the dog team, police found 44 packages of cocaine hidden in the car’s doors, back seats and back panels during a search.

In a news release shared with Fox News Digital, the drugs weighed 124 pounds and had an estimated street value of $2.4 million.

OVER 190,000 “LETHAL” DOSES OF COCAINE SEIZED DURING VALENTINE’S DAY WEEK AT BUSTERN BORDER

The next day, an American citizen described by CBP as a 21-year-old man driving a Nissan Frontier was also sent for a second inspection.

A canine team and imaging system scanned the police and alerted officers to a compartment in the bed of the truck, where they found 25 packages containing approximately 307 kilograms of methamphetamine.

The estimated value of the drugs was $491,200, according to CBP.

Both drivers have been arrested and will face prosecution.

COAST GUARD SEIZES OVER 4,500 POUNDS OF COCAINE WORTH $34M FROM SUSPECTED NARCO-TERRORIST SHIP OVER EASTER

CBP officers found 44 packages of cocaine hidden in the side door and back seat of a Toyota Prius driven by a 51-year-old man. (CBP)

The seizure highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to crack down on drug trafficking along the southern border, where companies use sophisticated smuggling methods, including hidden car parks and trusted travel routes.

Officials say U.S. citizens and foreign nationals are often recruited to deliver drugs at ports of entry.

“These consecutive arrests have deterred dangerous criminals and prevented deadly drugs from reaching our communities,” said Otay Mesa Port Director Rosa Hernandez. “By combining their expertise with advanced technology, our officers demonstrate their commitment to securing our borders and keeping our country safe.”

The two drug busts come after President Donald Trump’s border chief, Tom Homan, praised Trump’s immigration policies and the impact of border patrol efforts.

CBP officers found 25 packages containing approximately 307 kilograms of methamphetamine in a Nissan Frontier driven by a 21-year-old man. (CBP)

“He’s saving thousands of lives a year because he has a secure border,” Homan said of the president while speaking outside the White House. “When President Trump had the most secure border in this nation’s life, right now, lives are being saved.”

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“People smugglers are out of business, aren’t they? Companies are dying because of that secure border,” he added.

Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano and Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.