SAN DIEGO — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers last week found a total of 30 five-gallon buckets of liquid methamphetamine inside a commercial tractor, authorities said.

The drug bust occurred on Oct. 3 at the Otay Mesa cargo facility, CBP officials said in a news release Tuesday. Around 12:30 p.m., CBP officers referred the tractor driver, a 49-year-old woman who was applying for entry to the U.S., to a secondary inspection.

During the search, a CBP officer found 942.12 pounds of liquid methamphetamine hidden in 30 five-gallon buckets inside the tractor’s fuel tanks, according to law enforcement.

CBP officers seized the tractor and $1,413,180 worth of liquid methamphetamine, while the driver was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for further processing.

“Our officers are 100% committed to safeguarding our borders and are dedicated to disrupting
drug trafficking organizations,” said Rosa Hernandez, Port Director for the Otay Mesa Port of
Entry.

Last month, in an unrelated incident, nearly 200 pounds of liquid methamphetamine was found in the fuel tank of a tractor in Otay Mesa. The estimated street value of that drug shipment was $221,500.