Border officers allow car with drugs to proceed leading to major San Diego bust

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Full Story

Border officers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry deliberately allowed a Dodge Avenger carrying narcotics into San Diego as part of a “cold convoy” operation. The effort led to the seizure of 27 kilos of f–tanyl and m-th.

San Ysidro is the busiest land border crossing between the U.S. and Mexico. It is a major entry point for both legal trade and illicit trafficking.

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The Context

The cold convoy tactic involves letting a suspect vehicle continue to its destination before intercepting it. Authorities often use the method to uncover larger distribution networks.

The 27 kilos of seized drugs include highly lethal substances such as f–tanyl. Even small amounts of the drug can cause widespread overdoses.

Border officials have increased scrutiny of vehicles entering the U.S. due to rising drug smuggling operations. Cartels frequently exploit the high traffic volume at ports of entry.

F–tanyl and m-th have driven a national drug crisis with surging overdose deaths. Federal and local agencies regularly cooperate to disrupt shipments at the border.

Supporters of operations like this argue they allow officers to dismantle larger networks. Critics sometimes worry that allowing a vehicle through poses risks to communities before seizure.

The seizure in San Diego highlights ongoing challenges in curbing drug trafficking. Despite successes, authorities acknowledge that vast amounts of narcotics still enter the country.