SENTRI participants caught smuggling drugs across California-Mexico border

Two “not so trusted” SENTRI participants were caught trying to smuggle more than 100 pounds of drugs across the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa port of entry along the California-Mexico border, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said. 

The two men belonged to SENTRI, or the Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection, a CBP program that allows “low-risk” individuals that have been “pre-approved” to receive expedited clearance when they arrive at a U.S. port of entry. 

“All SENTRI applicants undergo a rigorous background check, provide biometric information including fingerprints, and an in-person interview as part of the approval process,” the CBP said. 

On two separate occasions, CBP officers at the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa ports of entry intercepted the SENTRI members attempting to smuggle a combined $1 million worth of drugs. 

On Wednesday, April 25 at around 5:15 a.m., a 71-year-old man driving a pick-up truck through the dedicated commuter later was flagged for inspection after officers noticed that the car’s spare tire had been tampered with. 

During the inspection, officers found “irregularities” in the tire. Inside it, they found 54 packages of methamphetamine weighing 49.03 pounds and with an estimated street value of $322,480. 

The next day, border officers stopped a 21-year-old man driving a 2007 Toyota at around 4:50 a.m. A further inspection of the vehicle found 20 hidden packages of cocaine concealed in the backrest of the back seat. The drugs weight 52.11 pounds and had an estimated street value of $827,400. 

CBP officers seized both vehicles and the drugs. The drivers were detained for narcotic smuggling and were handed over to Homeland Security Investigations for further processing. The identities of the two men were not released.