1,000 pounds of METH seized from shipment of detergent from Mexico, CBP says

Federal officials seized a massive shipment being smuggled into the U.S. from Mexico, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

CBP officers discovered 1,000 pounds of methamphetamine secreted in a 2012 tractor-trailer hauling laundry detergent, CBP said to Blaze News.

CBP estimated the street value of the methamphetamine to be $9,573,752.24.

The Roma Port of Entry connects Roma in Texas with Ciudad Miguel Alemán in Tamaulipas at the U.S.-Mexico border.

On Aug. 11, a CBP agent referred the tractor-trailer for enforcement inspection, and anomalies were found in the shipment through the scan of a nonintrusive imaging system.

CBP officers performed a physical inspection and found 485.78 kilograms of alleged meth concealed inside the detergent shipment.

The driver, the tractor-trailer, and the narcotics were turned over to the Roma Police Department, which opened a criminal investigation.

CBP estimated the street value of the methamphetamine to be $9,573,752.24.

"Our officers’ commitment to secure our borders continue[s] with ongoing enforcement actions," said Port Director Andres Guerra. "Their dedication, vigilance, and professionalism demonstrate their determination to keep our communities and country safe."

In a similar incident from Oct. 2025, a man named Jose Angel Barrera was asked to pull over when officials found anomalies in the spare tire of his white Toyota Tundra.

RELATED: Woman caught trying to smuggle live animals through US-Mexico border, CBP claims

Barrera replied, "No problem," but instead hit the gas and fled into downtown Roma. He later turned himself in, was convicted for port running, and sentenced to 10 months in prison.

What might have been in his spare tire remained undetermined.

"Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin," the agency said, "U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers along the southwest border stop illegal activity and facilitate lawful entry for millions of legitimate travelers into the United States."

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