San Diego – A Mexican national named Carlos Martin Quintana-Arias is facing life in prison after authorities seized a staggering 17,584 pounds of methamphetamine and 388.93 pounds of fentanyl from his trailer at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. The seizure marks the largest in each drug category for both this year and last year in the U.S.
Quintana-Arias, who applied for entry as a driver on November 18, was arrested after an X-ray machine detected anomalies in his trailer. A dog alerted to the rear door, leading to the discovery of thousands of packages of drugs among automotive parts.
Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman praised the efforts of CBP and HSI, stating that the seizure prevented a potential disaster for local communities. Chad Plantz of HSI highlighted the joint efforts to protect Ports of Entry from drug cartels.
Pete Flores, Director of Field Operations for the San Field Office, emphasized the importance of vigilant officers who identified anomalies leading to the intercept of this massive shipment.
Quintana-Arias has been arraigned on two violations of Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 952 and 960, with a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The detention hearing is scheduled for November 23, 2021.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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