Mariza Marin says United States Customs And Border Protection seized $2 million fentanyl
United States Customs And Border Protection officers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry seized nearly $2 million in fentanyl powder and more than $80,000 in methamphetamine on April 19 after tearing into the roof of a 2019 Honda Pilot driven by a 27-year-old Mexican national. Officers arrested the driver and seized the SUV after a scan flagged something suspicious above the cabin.
San Ysidro roof search
The search uncovered 94 hidden packages in the roof of the vehicle. CBP said those packages held roughly 35 pounds of fentanyl powder valued at nearly $2 million and more than 80 pounds of methamphetamine worth about $80,550.
Mariza Marin, the San Ysidro port director, said, "Smugglers use complex techniques to conceal dangerous narcotics like fentanyl and methamphetamine," and added, "I am proud of the unwavering dedication of our CBP officers, supported by our canine teams and advanced inspection technology," She also said, "Their efforts directly prevent these deadly narcotics from reaching our streets and protecting countless lives."
April 13 at San Ysidro
The April 19 seizure followed another stop at the same crossing on April 13, when officers intercepted a 2025 Toyota Corolla driven by a 20-year-old Mexican citizen. A canine alert and scan led officers to six packages hidden inside the car’s rear quarter panels, containing 14.02 pounds of fentanyl powder worth $764,727, about 509,818 pills. Authorities seized the drugs, the vehicle and the phone, and federal prosecutors took over the case.
The two busts show how quickly officers at San Ysidro have been pulling apart concealment methods inside vehicles, from quarter panels to roof compartments. For drivers crossing that port, the immediate consequence is simple: a scan, a search, and, if drugs are found, seizure of the vehicle and federal charges for importing drugs.
April enforcement push
The San Ysidro cases came during a broader April enforcement push tied to operations under President Donald Trump. Administration figures said total nationwide encounters in March 2026 remained below 9,000, and officials reported 11 consecutive months of zero releases of illegal immigrants into the US interior as of April 2026.
For travelers and commuters, the record at San Ysidro now shows two rapid-fire interdictions in the same month, each built on a different inspection method and each ending with property seized and a case moved into federal hands.
