Sean McGoffin, the Border Patrol chief for Tucson, Arizona, announced that agents at the Interstate-19 checkpoint near Nogales seized over 20 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in meat packages. The suspect and drugs were subsequently handed over to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This statement was made on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Border Patrol seizes over 20 lbs. of Methamphetamine from carne packages at the Interstate-19 checkpoint,” said Sean Mcgoffin. “11/14: Agents at the Interstate-19 checkpoint seized over 20 pounds of Methamphetamine after discovering the drugs hidden inside packages of meat. The drugs were confirmed by chemical testing and subsequently transferred to the DEA along with the subject and the vehicle. Sorry bad guys, no carne drogada for your BBQ! Great job Nogales Station!!”
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Nogales Station Border Patrol agents referred a Nissan Versa with Sonora, Mexico plates to secondary inspection on November 14 at the Interstate-19 immigration checkpoint near Amado. An X-ray examination revealed anomalies in meat packages, leading agents to discover more than 20 pounds of methamphetamine. The drugs tested positive and were confiscated, while the driver, vehicle, and narcotics were turned over to the DEA for prosecution. McGoffin’s post on X aligns with the CBP local media release that frames this bust as a significant interdiction effort to keep hard narcotics out of Arizona communities.
CBP drug seizure data indicate that methamphetamine remains one of the most frequently intercepted hard narcotics along the southern border. The agency’s Drug Seizure Statistics dashboard records tens of thousands of pounds of meth seized annually, with Southwest border ports and nearby checkpoints like Interstate-19 playing a central role. A U.S. Sentencing Commission analysis notes that CBP meth seizures at the Southwest border increased from just under 11,000 pounds in fiscal year 2013 to approximately 140,000 pounds in fiscal year 2023. This reflects how cartels have shifted production and smuggling toward high-purity meth destined for U.S. markets.
The Interstate-19 checkpoint highlighted by McGoffin is part of a broader interior checkpoint system credited by CBP with catching smugglers after they pass the immediate border. A “Typical Day in Fiscal Year 2024” snapshot shows CBP seizing an average of 1,571 pounds of illegal drugs daily, including around 60 pounds of fentanyl, underscoring the scale of narcotics enforcement efforts. Historical reporting on the Amado-area checkpoint notes that despite some local opposition, federal officials view such inspection points as vital for intercepting immigration violations, human trafficking, and drug loads concealed in passenger vehicles—methods similar to those used in this recent meth-in-meat case.
Chief Patrol Agent Sean McGoffin leads the U.S. Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector, which covers about 262 miles of the U.S.–Mexico border across most of Arizona and includes busy corridors feeding into the Interstate-19 checkpoint. A nearly 30-year veteran with CBP, he began his career as a Tucson Sector field agent in 1996 and has served as chief patrol agent in multiple sectors before returning home to Arizona. Interviews describe his priorities as reducing illegal crossings, dismantling cartel scouting and smuggling networks, and leveraging technology and checkpoints so agents can focus on enforcement rather than mass processing.
