The Calexico Port of Entry yielded a major seizure when officers discovered 1,002.13 pounds (454.56 kg) of suspected cocaine hidden beneath the floorboards of a flatbed trailer, alongside 269 bundles of rebar. Driver Jose Manuel Lopez Lopez, 44, was arrested after officers recovered 366 packages; prosecutors say the shipment is worth more than $20 million. Lopez pleaded not guilty on July 28 and faces federal importation charges that carry a 10-year mandatory minimum and up to life in prison. The Southern District of California called it the district's second-largest cocaine seizure in 2026, following a larger May tunnel-related bust.
$20M Cocaine Bust: 1,000+ Pounds Hidden Under Flatbed Floorboards at Calexico Port
Federal officers recovered 366 packages of cocaine from a commercial truck and flatbed trailer at California's Calexico Port of Entry. (Photo: U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of California)
Federal officers uncovered more than 1,000 pounds of suspected cocaine concealed beneath the wooden floorboards of a flatbed trailer attached to a commercial truck that arrived at the Calexico Port of Entry in California. Authorities estimate the narcotics' street value at more than $20 million; the load also included 269 bundles of rebar as apparent legitimate cargo.
How the Shipment Was Discovered
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers X-rayed the attached flatbed during a routine border inspection and observed anomalies in the trailer's wooden flooring. A drug‑detection dog subsequently alerted to the trailer. Investigators unloaded the rebar and removed the floor planks, revealing 366 packages hidden beneath the boards.
"A tremendous amount of drugs, even by the standards of this district," the U.S. Attorney's Office said of the seizure.
Arrest and Charges
The driver, identified by federal prosecutors as 44-year-old Jose Manuel Lopez Lopez, the truck's sole occupant, was arrested. Officers recovered 1,002.13 pounds (454.56 kilograms) of suspected cocaine. Lopez pleaded not guilty at his federal arraignment on July 28. U.S. Magistrate Judge Lupe Rodriguez Jr. scheduled a detention hearing for Aug. 3 at 10:00 a.m. The case is filed as 26-mj-08705, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Benjamin and Lawrence Casper are prosecuting.
Federal prosecutors charged Lopez with importing cocaine under Title 21, U.S. Code, Sections 952 and 960. The statute carries a mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years and a potential maximum sentence of life in prison. As always, the charge is an accusation and Lopez is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Context And Law Enforcement Response
The U.S. Attorney's Office said this was the Southern District of California's second-largest cocaine seizure in 2026. The district's largest recovery earlier that year began with a months-long task force probe that uncovered a 1,933-foot cross-border tunnel from Tijuana into a purported retail business near Otay Mesa. Investigators seized 1,029.60 kilograms (2,269.87 pounds) of suspected cocaine in that May operation, which officials estimated was worth more than $45 million.
Multiple federal and state agencies participated in the Calexico investigation, including Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the California Homeland Security Task Force through Operation Take Back America.
Implications for Freight and Border Security
Authorities note that criminal organizations sometimes use legitimate commercial equipment and ordinary freight to conceal high‑value contraband. Freight professionals and carriers should be aware that routine-looking shipments can carry risks beyond theft or fraud, underscoring the importance of thorough inspections and industry vigilance.
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