From Fentanyl to Freon: Customs and Border Protection Seizures

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is an enforcement agency that does much more than deal with immigration. This summer, CBP made the largest fentanyl seizure in its history – approximately 4 million blue fentanyl pills weighing more than 1,000 pounds.

The fentanyl was found at the Port of Lukeville in Arizona, when CBP stopped a 20-year-old U.S. citizen driving a pick-up truck hauling a sport recreational vehicle on a utility trailer. During a thorough inspection, CBP officers found irregularities throughout the trailer’s frame. With the help of a CBP canine team, CBP officers found fentanyl in the frame of the trailer.

Several days later, officers at the same port seized about 270 pounds of methamphetamine. In that case, a 45-year-old Mexican citizen was driving a pick-up truck towing a utility trailer.

These seizures were part of a counter-fentanyl operation focusing on intelligence collection. The purpose is to disrupt drug and chemical supplies, collect and share intelligence on trafficking networks (including routes used), and uncover operational logistics.

Drug enforcement is not the only type of seizure conducted by CBP. The agency is also involved in enforcing, among other things, environmental protections. Since January 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has prohibited the importation of freon, except on an application-specific allowance issued by the EPA. Freon is a greenhouse gas believed to contribute to global warming. Importation of freon canisters from Mexico is restricted, and failure to declare freon canisters can result in fines and vehicle seizures. During this very hot summer, CBP officers have warned travelers not to bring illegal freon over the border.