Three illegal migrants—two from Mexico and one from El Salvador—have been arrested in one of the largest methamphetamine seizures of 2025, after authorities say they attempted to move nearly 8,000 pounds of the drug through San Diego. The meth, valued at over $5.5 million, was being shuttled between motels in San Ysidro and Chula Vista when federal agents swooped in.
The bust took place around 7 p.m. Monday, as part of a joint narcotics investigation between the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Border Patrol. Investigators observed the suspects loading what turned out to be 61 bundles of meth into vehicles at a parking lot on Otay Mesa Road. Those vehicles were then followed to separate motels, where arrests were made.
The Justice Department identified the suspects as Erick Omar Arriola, 27, of El Salvador—already a felon convicted of DUI, domestic battery, and false imprisonment—along with 35-year-old Eugenio Lizama and 49-year-old Baltazar Rodriguez Reyes, both Mexican nationals.
“This was one of the biggest seizures of methamphetamine in 2025 in the Southern District of California,” the DOJ said, highlighting that the arrests mark a major success for the newly formed Homeland Security Task Force San Diego, which was established at the request of President Trump.
All three men are now facing serious charges, including conspiracy, transportation, and possession of controlled substances for sales.