Seven tons of pot seized at border
UNION-TRIBUNE
April 5, 2001

OTAY MESA -- Border inspectors seized more than seven tons of marijuana discovered in a truck carrying new television sets.

It is believed to be the largest seizure of marijuana ever made at a U.S. port of entry, the Customs Service said.

Customs inspectors stopped the truck Tuesday during a routine inspection at the Otay Mesa commercial border crossing.

The truck was examined by a gamma-ray imaging system, which detected irregular shapes in the boxes of television sets.

When authorities opened the boxes, they discovered 1,977 wrapped packages of marijuana layered on top of the televisions.

The driver, Jose Gurrola Olivas, 22, of Tijuana was arrested and is being held in the Metropolitan Correctional Center.

Customs officials estimated the street value of the marijuana at $12.1 million.

Including Tuesday's seizure, authorities have confiscated 50,742 pounds of marijuana at the Otay Mesa border crossing since October.

© Copyright 2001 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.