CBP Seizes Over 90,000 ‘Mexican Xanax’ Pills During California Traffic Stop

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said officers seized more than 90,000 “Mexican Xanax” pills during a traffic stop on California’s Interstate 5 last week.

At around 4:50 p.m. on April 16, Border Patrol agents stopped the driver of a black pickup truck traveling north on I-5 north of San Diego, near Camp Pendleton. Agents interviewed the driver and called a K-9 unit to the scene. The K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle.

Agents searched the truck and discovered 11 boxes containing individual packages labeled as Farmapram, the Mexican brand name for the drug alprazolam, which is sold under the brand name Xanax in the U.S. and is typically used to treat anxiety and panic disorders.

Xanax, and its generic and branded equivalents, is a Schedule IV narcotic in the U.S. When misused as a recreational drug, it can have serious and potentially life-threatening consequences.

In total, the packages contained 90,090 pills, with an estimated street value of over $600,000. The driver, vehicle, and narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The driver faces state charges for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

“This seizure sends a clear message: we will not tolerate dangerous drugs on our streets,” Jeffrey Stalnaker, Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the San Diego Sector, said in a statement. “Our agents work around the clock to shut down drug trafficking operations and to protect lives. This is a significant win, but our work continues.”