Things got spicy at the US-Mexico border outside of San Diego, California last week, when border cops discovered more than 500 pounds of weed disguised as a shipment of jalapeño peppers. 

According to San Diego’s Fox5 News, the green produce arrived at the Otay Mesa border crossing in a tractor trailer on October 25th and quickly aroused the suspicion of drug-sniffing dogs. During a search of the vehicle, border cops looked through box after box of jalapeño peppers, eventually uncovering more than 100 bales of cannabis weighing out to 527 pounds. 

To disguise the contraband as best as possible, the pepper popping bud smugglers packaged their stash in paper wrappers printed with pictures of jalapeños on them. Still, even with the misdirection, cops were easily able to distinguish the produce from the pot. 

From coffins and carrots to mini statues of Jesus, weed smugglers have always been creative when it comes to sneaking skunk past border agents. In fact, earlier this summer, another group of pot pushers were caught trying the exact same jalapeño hideaway trick at the exact same border checkpoint just two months ago. 

But when the cops get wise to the game of narcotics hide and seek, the consequences are anything but funny. After this week’s jalapeño bud bust, the tractor trailer and the weed was seized by border patrol, and the 28-year-old driver was turned over to Homeland Security officers for prosecution. 

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