The busts took place between Feb. 11 and Feb. 17, according to the agency.

302 pounds stashed in SUV’s doors, fenders, spare tire

The first ill-fated smuggling attempt took place on Feb. 11, when a 72-year-old man tried to enter the U.S. in a red SUV, according to a CBP statement.

“Anomalies” detected during a secondary inspection led CBP officers to enlist the help of a K9, which alerted to the presence of narcotics, officials said.

“CBP officers extracted a total of 100 packages concealed within the vehicle’s doors, fenders and spare tire,” the statement said. “The contents of the packages were tested and identified as methamphetamine with a total weight of 302 pounds.”

770 pounds concealed in big rig

Another major seizure took place on Feb. 13, when a 30-year-old man tried to make his way into the country in a big rig via the Tecate Cargo Facility, according to the agency.

Officers again grew suspicious of the vehicle.

“CBP officers conducted a physical examination of the tractor-trailer and discovered 65 packages hidden within the flatbed of the trailer,” the statement said.

The packages were found to contain 697 pounds of methamphetamine and 73 pounds of cocaine, authorities said.

437 pounds pulled from flatbed trailer

Another commercial vehicle came through the port of entry on Feb. 17.

A drug-sniffing dog sounded an alert, leading officers to discover 38 packages of methamphetamine hidden in the floor of a flatbed trailer, according to CBP.

The drugs weighed 437 pounds.

Rosa Hernandez, who serves as director of both the Otay Mesa and Tecate ports of entry, commended the sharp eyes, and noses, of the human and canine officers.

“All CBP components are vital assets to our counter-narcotics operations and provide proficient layers of enforcement,,” she said. “Our staff is dedicated to the mission and will continue to protect our communities and stop the growth of transnational criminal organizations by applying officer’s skills and tools in our layered enforcement approach.”

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RIVERSIDE, CA — This week, a 51-year-old Riverside County man was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison for his lead role in an operation that saw large quantities of methamphetamine trafficked from Mexico into the Inland Empire, prosecutors announced.

Timoteo Gomez, of Riverside, was sentenced Monday by United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal. He is the 16th conviction in the federal probe that targeted criminal activities of the Riverside-based Casa Blanca Rifa criminal street gang. According to prosecutors, the gang is responsible for drug trafficking and associated violence in Riverside and the surrounding community.

From at least April 2020 until August 2020, Gomez and others purchased methamphetamine from their suppliers in Mexico as well as Los Angeles and Riverside counties and distributed it across the Inland Empire, according to prosecutors.

In April 2020, Gomez and others smuggled 46.6 pounds of methamphetamine from Mexico across the U.S. port of entry at Calexico and into Riverside County. In May 2020, another co-conspirator attempted to drive a 90.4 pounds-load of methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico through the San Ysidro port of entry, prosecutors said.

“In total, law enforcement seized more than 150 pounds of methamphetamine and $31,035 in cash during this investigation,” according to the prosecutors.

Gomez has been in federal custody since his June 2021 arrest. He pleaded guilty in January 2022 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The FBI’s Inland Empire Safe Streets Task Force, which includes the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, and the Riverside Police Department, led the investigation into the operation.

During the investigation, the task force received assistance from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

The post Feds Target Casa Blanca Rifa Street Gang In Riverside County appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

RIVERSIDE, CA — This week, a 51-year-old Riverside County man was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison for his lead role in an operation that saw large quantities of methamphetamine trafficked from Mexico into the Inland Empire, prosecutors announced.

Timoteo Gomez, of Riverside, was sentenced Monday by United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal. He is the 16th conviction in the federal probe that targeted criminal activities of the Riverside-based Casa Blanca Rifa criminal street gang. According to prosecutors, the gang is responsible for drug trafficking and associated violence in Riverside and the surrounding community.

From at least April 2020 until August 2020, Gomez and others purchased methamphetamine from their suppliers in Mexico as well as Los Angeles and Riverside counties and distributed it across the Inland Empire, according to prosecutors.

In April 2020, Gomez and others smuggled 46.6 pounds of methamphetamine from Mexico across the U.S. port of entry at Calexico and into Riverside County. In May 2020, another co-conspirator attempted to drive a 90.4 pounds-load of methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico through the San Ysidro port of entry, prosecutors said.

“In total, law enforcement seized more than 150 pounds of methamphetamine and $31,035 in cash during this investigation,” according to the prosecutors.

Gomez has been in federal custody since his June 2021 arrest. He pleaded guilty in January 2022 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The FBI’s Inland Empire Safe Streets Task Force, which includes the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, and the Riverside Police Department, led the investigation into the operation.

During the investigation, the task force received assistance from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

The post Feds Target Casa Blanca Rifa Street Gang In Riverside County appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.