(IMAGN) Mexican National Guard troops keep guard near the border wall near an area where U.S. troops worked on infrastructure in Tijuana, Mexico on March 4, 2025.
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Authorities in northern Mexico seized 32 kilograms of fentanyl, hidden inside boxes of sliced cactus, a popular Mexican food, officials announced Wednesday. The seizure, along with 275,000 fentanyl pills, occurred at a military checkpoint in the border state of Sonora, on a highway connecting Sinaloa and Sonora.
Mexican law enforcement reported that a 29-year-old man was arrested in connection with the drug seizure, which was destined for Arizona. The total value of the seized drugs, including both powder and pill forms of fentanyl, is estimated at $6.5 million.
This incident highlights the ongoing struggle between drug smugglers and authorities, as traffickers continue to devise increasingly creative methods to transport narcotics. In recent times, drugs have been discovered concealed in hair extensions, avocados, and even transported via submarines.
The seizure comes amidst heightened tensions between Mexico and the United States over drug trafficking and migration. The U.S. has pressured Mexico to curb the flow of fentanyl and migrants northward. On Tuesday, then-President Trump implemented 25% tariffs, citing the need to address these issues. However, data indicates that migration and fentanyl overdoses had already decreased significantly prior to his presidency.
On Wednesday, Trump announced a one-month tariff exemption for automakers, following negotiations with Mexican and Canadian officials, mitigating the immediate economic impact of the tariffs. The fentanyl was discovered when officers searched a trailer carrying nopales (sliced cactus) at a checkpoint.
