United States Customs and Border Protection said it recently uncovered approximately 146 kg of methamphetamine hidden in solar panels at Los Angeles International Airport.
Photos published on social media by the agency appear to show officers cutting through and peeling back layers of duct tape and aluminum foil on the panels, eventually revealing packets of the drug.
The modules were being shipped to New Zealand and were flagged based on prior intelligence and intercepted before export, US Customs said in a statement on its Facebook account. The agency did not provide further details.
“We do this every day,” the statement said. “These ‘criminal masterminds’ never stood a chance.”
Image: US Customs and Border Protection
To pv magazine’s knowledge, this is the first known case involving solar panels used to conceal drugs. However, solar modules have occasionally been used by drug producers in the past to power illegal facilities.
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