Those who smuggle illegal goods across the United States-Mexico border are always looking for new ways to conceal the contraband. They have done creative things in the past, like packing drugs between the inner and outer shells of an ice chest and hiding illegal aliens in washers and dryers.
The cartel decided to get even more creative when they attempted to stump United States Customs and Border Protection officials. They packed roughly 4.6 pounds of methamphetamine into multiple packages in the shape of kettlebells.
Agents in Calexico, California, made the discovery and seizure Friday morning around 5:20 a.m. The kettlebell-shaped packages had been hurled over the border wall from Mexico into the United States. When agents went to investigate, they discovered four abandoned packages just east of the Calexico West Port of Entry.
According to CBP, the 4.6 pounds of meth hold a street value of $8,740.
This isn't the first time the drug cartel has used kettlebell-shaped packages to smuggle narcotics.
On June 3, five kettlebell-shaped packages were thrown over the international border fence into the United States at 11:35 p.m. Once Border Patrol agents located the 10.3-pound packages, they took them back to the Calexico Border Patrol Station. The packages came back positive for methamphetamine and had an estimated street value of $19,570.
On June 7, a Border Patrol agent was patrolling the international border fence just three miles east of the Downtown Calexico Port of Entry when a kettlebell-shaped package was discovered roughly 15 yards into the United States. When the 457.6-gram package was taken back to the patrol station, it tested positive for methamphetamine. The estimated street value of the drugs is approximately $1,900.
On June 10, Border Patrol agents noticed kettlebell-shaped packages being hurled over the international border fence around 4:20 a.m local time. Agents found the 4.2-pound packages and transported them back to the Calexico Border Patrol Station, where they tested positive for methamphetamine. The 4.2 pounds of meth has an estimated street value of $7,980.
The newest way that the drug cartel is smuggling drugs into the United States: by throwing kettlebell-shaped packages over the international border fence (via @CBP) pic.twitter.com/bgfYzqa3RZ
— Beth Baumann (@eb454) June 14, 2020