A man in Tijuana discovered seven packages containing an estimated 27 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine hidden inside his vehicle on the morning of Wednesday, May 6. He reported the find to authorities, telling police he had no knowledge of how the drugs got there. The incident is a textbook case of the “mula ciega,” or blind mule scheme, in which drug traffickers secretly stash narcotics in an unsuspecting person’s car.
The man contacted police via radio dispatch after finding the packages. No border crossing attempt had been made. Authorities responded to secure the vehicle and the drugs, which field officers identified as crystal meth based on their appearance.
How the Blind Mule Scheme Works
In the mula ciega tactic, cartel operatives plant drugs in vehicles belonging to people who have no connection to the trafficking operation. The goal is to move contraband through checkpoints or across the U.S.-Mexico border using an unwitting driver. If the drugs are intercepted, the driver faces arrest, not the traffickers.
The scheme is well documented in the Tijuana corridor. A 2023 investigation by inewsource profiled multiple cases, including a 72-year-old man arrested in 2017 after U.S. customs officials found nearly 50 pounds of methamphetamine in his car. He had been buying vehicles in the U.S. and selling them in Tijuana. In another case, a woman was handcuffed at the border after roughly 200 pounds of meth and fentanyl were found in her car, allegedly planted by a former boyfriend while it was parked at his house in Tijuana.
Legal Risks for Drivers on Both Sides of the Border
Being caught with drugs in a vehicle, even unknowingly, carries severe legal consequences in both Mexico and the United States. Under Mexican federal law, possession of 27 kilograms of methamphetamine would trigger organized crime charges. In the U.S., importation of any amount of meth is a federal felony that can carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The Tijuana region remains a primary corridor for methamphetamine trafficking into the United States. In March 2026, a Tijuana resident was arrested at the Otay Mesa port of entry with roughly 429 kilograms (about 945 pounds) of liquid methamphetamine concealed in a truck’s fuel tank. That same month, another driver was stopped at San Ysidro with 56 kilos of meth hidden in vehicle panels.
Drivers who park in public lots, on streets, or in unfamiliar neighborhoods in Tijuana should inspect their vehicles before driving, particularly before approaching any border crossing or military checkpoint. Checking wheel wells, the trunk, under seats, and the undercarriage can help detect tampering.
This story was first reported by Zeta Tijuana.