A man was concealing nearly 290 pounds of heroin, with an estimated street value of more than $13 million, inside his vehicle.

SAN DIEGO — A driver attempting to enter the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry was arrested on Oct. 22 after officials uncovered a record-setting amount of heroin inside his vehicle on Oct. 22.

The man was described as a Mexican citizen and a lawful permanent resident of the U.S., according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and was concealing nearly 290 pounds of heroin, with an estimated street value of more than $13 million. 

The incident occurred at 5:05 p.m. when the driver, in a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado, entered a primary vehicle lane at the port of entry. Officers escorted the driver to a primary inspection booth after a supervisory canine enforcement officer with an assigned human narcotics detection dog alerted officials to the vehicle’s spare tire area, CBP said in a release.

After being escorted, the driver showed his lawful permanent residency card and presented two negative customs declarations, saying that he was traveling to Santa Ana. During the inspection, officials noticed an abnormality with the spare tire and requested assistance.

CBP officers conducted a vehicle inspection, where they found anomalies in the spare tire well, rear seat, front right fender flare and firewall of the car. Officers then found 72 packages from several hidden compartments of the vehicle, which included the air filter, fender, glove box, rear seats and the spare tire. A narcotics test kit was able to confirm that these packages contained heroin, according to CBP. 


After being contacted by CBP, special agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations responded and interviewed the driver. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also accepted federal charges for the importation of narcotics in the U.S.

“This interception is a direct result of the relentless vigilance and expertise of our CBP officers and their K9 partners,” San Diego Field Office Director Sidney Aki said in a press release. “They stand on the front lines every day, committed to disrupting criminal networks and ensuring the safety and security of our communities.”