Border Patrol agents make historic meth seizure

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol announced the confiscation of more than 3,000 pounds of liquid meth, making it the third-largest seizure of methamphetamine to date in the agency's history.

Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol agents at a checkpoint in Texas found the stash after referring a tractor-trailer to a secondary inspection area to question the driver's immigration status, the agency said Tuesday.

Agents eventually discovered 1,440 bottles labeled as household cleaning products that were instead filled with liquid meth, officials said.

The street value of the 3,036 pounds of seized meth is nearly $100 million, authorities said.

"This historical seizure is a prime example of our Agents’ efforts to continuously impact and degrade Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCO) exploiting the Rio Grande Valley," said Gloria Chavez, the chief Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol agent. 

Overall drug seizures by pound have decreased every year since President Joe Biden took office, and last fiscal year about 175,000 pounds of methamphetamine were seized, according to federal data.