BajaNomad

15 tons of weed at otay mesa

willardguy - 2-27-2015 at 10:09 PM

LOS ANGELES, Feb 27 (Reuters) - U.S. customs officers at a California border crossing seized more than 15 tons of marijuana hidden inside a tractor-trailer shipment designated as a cargo of mattresses, the biggest narcotics bust ever at that port of entry, officials said on Friday.

Plastic-wrapped packages of marijuana, with a street value estimated at nearly $19 million, were found stacked floor to ceiling inside a trailer at the Otay Mesa cargo port in San Diego on Thursday, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency.

The tractor-trailer came under suspicion when an X-ray examination of the cargo detected an "anomaly," leading customs and border officers to conduct a closer inspection of the vehicle.

The shipment of pot, wrapped in nearly 1,300 packages weighing 31,598 pounds, was immediately spotted by officers who opened the trailer door. The only signs of bedding were a few mattresses stacked along the wall at the opposite end of the trailer from the doors, officials said.

The truck driver, a 46-year-old Mexican citizen with a valid border-crossing card, was turned over to U.S. immigration agents.

The confiscated marijuana marked the greatest amount of illegal drugs ever seized at Otay Mesa, one of three ports of entry in the San Diego-Tijuana border area, and the second largest such seizure anywhere in the United States, according to Customs and Border Protection.

The only one bigger was a seizure of 35,265 pounds of marijuana confiscated at California's Calexico East port of entry, across the border from Mexicali, Mexico, in 2013, the agency said in a statement. (Reporting by Steve Gorman; Editing by Ken Wills)

Ateo - 2-27-2015 at 10:14 PM

Nice catch. Our $$$ at work. Too bad it means absolutely nothing..........................................=)

This comment has been approved by the year 2700.

BornFisher - 2-27-2015 at 10:14 PM

Wowzie!! Esta mucha mota!!

willardguy - 2-27-2015 at 10:19 PM

so wouldn't ya think they could sell it to one of the states where its legal? recoup some of the money spent finding it!

mtgoat666 - 2-27-2015 at 11:42 PM

Legalize it!

Santiago - 2-28-2015 at 08:07 AM

Quote: Originally posted by willardguy  
so wouldn't ya think they could sell it to one of the states where its legal? recoup some of the money spent finding it!


WG: OK, OK, at first I thought that WG was just being goofy - but it's an interesting idea, get the government into the supply side of the bidness.
I mean, after all, they are going to eventually auction off the truck, right? They get to keep the mattresses, sell them and keep the money, right? If there were $500K hidden in one of the mattresses, do you think they would have a giant bonfire and burn it right along with the weed?
This is how to make it work politically: All property seized, regardless of it's legal status, is sold to the highest bidder and becomes legal after the sale. The money is then sent to the US treasury to pay off debt.
I think you're on to something WG.

Santiago - 2-28-2015 at 08:12 AM

I just did the math: that's 480,000 Bakersfield Baggies. Anybody else keep thinking about Tennessee Ernie Ford?

woody with a view - 2-28-2015 at 09:17 AM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
Legalize it!


That would make a great song name!

SFandH - 2-28-2015 at 09:26 AM

Wonder what the quality of this Mex mota is? I can't imagine it's anywhere near as good as the buds produced by growers in the States.

bledito - 2-28-2015 at 09:35 AM

The quality probabally sucks besides the mexican illegals are growing it here as well. Somewhere down the road the realization will come that the only recourse is to legalize pot and any other drug that is illegal to stop the drug runninging and then either the addicts will die off from overdoses or realise they need to quit. sad but the demand will never stop.

blackwolfmt - 2-28-2015 at 09:37 AM

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH  
Wonder what the quality of this Mex mota is? I can't imagine it's anywhere near as good as the buds produced by growers in the States.


I know some amigos at a cannabis test lab in Denver, and they have tested south of the border mota and have told us don't use it it's full of herbicides & pesticides plain nasty malo muy malo aint No way it's worth 19 mil

DENNIS - 2-28-2015 at 09:45 AM



That's it. No more mattresses from Mexico.

jimgrms - 2-28-2015 at 09:45 AM

seed's and stems

SFandH - 2-28-2015 at 09:53 AM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
Legalize it!


That's happening, isn't it? Started out slow but I bet it won't be long before it's legal everywhere in the States. Five years maybe?

I'm enjoying the news about the new Washington, D.C. laws.

[Edited on 2-28-2015 by SFandH]

bledito - 2-28-2015 at 10:43 AM

illinos legalized medicinal and now they are contemplating recreational because they can generate 150 million in taxes and save anouther 150 million not prosecuting and jailing offenders.
soon enought they wont be smuggling weed across the borders anymore no need to.

bajalearner - 2-28-2015 at 11:23 AM

Quote: Originally posted by willardguy  
so wouldn't ya think they could sell it to one of the states where its legal? recoup some of the money spent finding it!


Good idea. Washington DC could bid on it to sell to the poor people but the politicians can afford the good stuff.

16 million street value, auctioned off (for less) would cover a few hours of one day for the DHS budget of about 60 billion.

60 billion, how much is that per day??? Too big a number for me...16.4 million per day?

No problem, we can probably print that much currency in a few hours.

[Edited on 2-28-2015 by bajalearner]

willardguy - 2-28-2015 at 11:46 AM

pork barrel or school lunches, its not gonna do any good in a bonfire?

Martyman - 3-2-2015 at 12:28 PM

Where and when is the bonfire?
Did Bledito say that people were going to die off from weed overdoses? He should stick to a topic that he knows something about.

bajabuddha - 3-2-2015 at 12:49 PM

A recent article stated that Colorado sold 17 tons of OTC recreational pot in the first year. I believe it also stated another 33 tons of medical sales, but I lost the link. Because it is so regulated and 'watched' in CO that means a LOT of tax revenue into the State coffers. Just like most civil rights movements, which legalization of pot really boils down to, it's going to take time, and finally a SCOTUS decision on Federal level to win, just like the women's vote, the black vote, the LGBT equalization of legal rights; slow, but sure.

Funny how those who are the most against legalization are the same ones that are the most for 'less big government and more personal freedoms", as long as it pertains to their own personal moral/religious values.

micah202 - 3-2-2015 at 12:57 PM

''The tractor-trailer came under suspicion when an X-ray examination of the cargo detected an "anomaly,",,,,

......the anomaly is that they actually found some mattresses :D


I'm mixed feelings about legalizing the stuff. It's so powerful these days, far from the stuff I used to buy by the garbage bag. I think legalizing gives a sad message to our kids......we've farked the world up, but here, smoke this and you won't be bothered by the mess :(

.

mtgoat666 - 3-2-2015 at 01:41 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bledito  
illinos legalized medicinal and now they are contemplating recreational because they can generate 150 million in taxes and save anouther 150 million not prosecuting and jailing offenders.
soon enought they wont be smuggling weed across the borders anymore no need to.


the only way this legalization will lead to a new industry is if they prohibit home-grown. the stuff is so easy to grow, everyone can grow great bud in their backyard. why pay a lot at the head shop when you can grow it at home like your tomato plants? :?::?::?:

bajabuddha - 3-2-2015 at 01:46 PM

True, but that's why they call it WEED.... it'll grow anywhere with little or no cultivation. You can brew your own beer and make your own wine too, but people will pay for higher (pun intended) quality product. How many people grow their own tomatoes? Grocery isn't hurt by that either.

bledito - 3-2-2015 at 03:18 PM

we grow our own tomatos. the store tomatos just Suck. our garden tomatos are made into gravey for all kindsa pasta dishes and it freezes well. now the weed i guess it would depend on the variety as well but most people would probabally opt to plant a few rather than pay the cost to purchase in the store.

blackwolfmt - 3-2-2015 at 05:22 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajabuddha  
A recent article stated that Colorado sold 17 tons of OTC recreational pot in the first year. I believe it also stated another 33 tons of medical sales, but I lost the link. Because it is so regulated and 'watched' in CO that means a LOT of tax revenue into the State coffers. Just like most civil rights movements, which legalization of pot really boils down to, it's going to take time, and finally a SCOTUS decision on Federal level to win, just like the women's vote, the black vote, the LGBT equalization of legal rights; slow, but sure.

Funny how those who are the most against legalization are the same ones that are the most for 'less big government and more personal freedoms", as long as it pertains to their own personal moral/religious values.


Here ya go Buddha,

http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/28-million-pot-munchies...

Also I help run a how to grow consulting biz in Co, believe it or not most of the peeps cant even grow a house plant, that's why I started the biz. I had a nursery for the last 15 yrs so i can grow anything even a FINE Mexican sativa organic of course

Pot Primer

motoged - 3-2-2015 at 07:50 PM

Some basic beginner info:

http://www.hightimes.com/read/5-differences-between-sativa-and-indica

While the marketing names for different batches can sound silly, there are differences between strains and hybrids....a granny down the street might be a better grower than the dude in dreadlocks.....

That's what my friends say....:saint:

redhilltown - 3-3-2015 at 12:26 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzdLUU7jRx4


If you don't know Jesse Winchester, you should! :D

Kgryfon - 3-3-2015 at 05:15 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajabuddha  


Funny how those who are the most against legalization are the same ones that are the most for 'less big government and more personal freedoms", as long as it pertains to their own personal moral/religious values.


Funny, I noticed that as well...

blackwolfmt - 3-3-2015 at 07:18 PM

this site is more informative and accurate than HT it's actually a Denver post gig ,just for those who give a shtz:coolup:


http://www.thecannabist.co/category/news/

mtgoat666 - 3-3-2015 at 07:57 PM

Most of you old farts are like most of us younger and middle aged farts, you think it's ok to smoke pot, but you sure don't want your kids dabbling or being stoners, eh?
Fine line between toking once in a while and being a stoner that daily wakes and bakes,... Difference is whether you got an addiction predilection.

Anyhow, it is funny the freedom loving anti government crowd of republicans sure do like to butt into our personal lives,...
I guess their freedom is your oppression, eh?