‘Limes’ turn out to be $8.4 million of marijuana

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Otay Mesa, Calif., discovered more than 5 ½ tons of marijuana instead of the limes that were listed on the manifest.

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(Courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Otay Mesa, Calif., discovered more than 5 ½ tons of marijuana instead of the limes that were listed on the manifest.

A tractor-trailer supposedly carrying limes entered the Otay Mesa Cargo port of entry on June 4. A Customs and Border Protection agent referred the load for a more in-depth exam and discovered “anomalies,” according to a news release.

Officers opened the boxes, which were full of tightly-packed bundles of marijuana. The CBP seized the 468 packages, weighing more than 11,000 pounds, with a street value of about $8.4 million, according to the release.

The 74-year-old driver was arrested and turned over to Homeland Security Investigations.

Related stories:

Customs officers seize marijuana concealed in broccoli shipment

Banana shipment loaded with tons of marijuana

Truckload of broccoli with $18.5 million in drugs stopped

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