U.S. Customs and Border Protection says this truck that had a manifest for mattresses and cushions contained 15 tons of marijuana. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

Near-record bust: 15 tons of weed in truck at U.S.-Mexico border in SoCal

SAN DIEGO — Federal authorities have seized more than 15 tons of marijuana in a near-record bust at a border crossing in Southern California.

The Los Angeles Times reported Saturday that more than 1,200 packages containing about 31,598 pounds of marijuana and valued at nearly $19 million were seized from a truck-trailer carrying mattresses and cushions at the Otay Mesa border crossing.

Authorities arrested the truck’s 46-year-old driver and seized the vehicle late Thursday.

The newspaper says the seizure was the second-largest in a single incident at a U.S. border crossing, trailing a more than 35,000-pound bust in 2013.
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Information from: Los Angeles Times