SAN DIEGO — Another shipment of narcotic-concealing radishes at the U.S. border was thwarted last week by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, the agency said.

Officials at the Calexico Port of Entry encountered a 24-year-old man driving a tractor-trailer around 7:15 pm. on Jan. 31 with what appeared to be a shipment of radishes, the agency said in a news release. CBP said the driver and cargo were referred for further examination.

During the inspection, a K-9 detector alerted officials to the presence of narcotics, according to the agency. CBP said 1,590 packages were discovered concealed within the shipment and testing confirmed the contents to be methamphetamine.

The driver, a Mexican citizen, was detained on suspicion of narcotic smuggling. He was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customers Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations for further disposition.

CBP seized the tractor trailer and the narcotics.

“Outstanding work by our CBP officers,” said Roque Caza, Port Director for Calexico Port of
Entry. “These smuggling attempts are efforts to deceive and misguide us. However, our officers
and law enforcement partners are always working together to improve the safety of our
communities.”

The narcotic seizure weighed over 4,500 pounds and had an estimated street value of $5,475,600, according to CBP.