Two tons of meth disguised as watermelon seized at border; valued over $5 million

From far away, these bright green ball-shaped packages could be mistaken for a massive shipment of pi?atas. But the meth-melons are definitely not something you want anywhere near a child's birthday party.

Colorful packages that were made to look like watermelons but instead contained around two tons of meth were discovered at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry Commercial Facility in San Diego, according to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Protection.

Hidden amongst actual watermelons were 1,220 packages that contained 4,587 pounds of methamphetamine worth over $5 million.

See the meth-filled packages seized by border patrol:

From celery to watermelon: Agents seize nearly 3,000 pounds of meth hidden in celery at Georgia farmers market

How was the meth found?

A 29-year-old man seeking entry into the U.S. from Mexico was selected for a secondary inspection, and the watermelon was taken out of the truck for further examination.

When the drugs were uncovered, the packages were tested and identified before they were seized, and the driver was transferred to Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation.

“I am incredibly proud of our team for their exceptional work over the past few weeks in uncovering sophisticated and diverse smuggling methods," said Rosa E. Hernandez, Port Director for the Area Port of Otay Mesa, in a statement. "As drug cartels continue to evolve their smuggling techniques, we will continue finding new and better ways to prevent these dangerous drugs and other contraband from entering the country."

Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered various topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown, Miami, to tech and pop culture. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watermelon shipment contained 2 tons of meth disguised as fruit: CBP