West Covina police, ICE find 3,500 pounds of pot

West Covina police, working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, seized about 3,500 pounds of Mexican marijuana Friday hidden in camouflaged crates in a tractor-trailer, authorities said.
The pot, with an estimated street price of more than $10 million, was discovered in an industrial area in Cerritos shortly after 8 a.m., West Covina police Lt. Paul LaCommare said.
"This will be a costly seizure for the smugglers," he said.
The marijuana was hidden inside makeshift crates disguised to look like stacks of lumber, West Covina police Chief Frank Wills said.
"It was just all nailed together," he said.
Seven crates in total were found inside the truck, each containing about 500 pounds of pot each, LaCommare said.
The crates were pushed to the very front of the trailer and hidden behind legitimate cargo, he said.
No one was inside the truck when the seizure was made, and no one has been arrested, LaCommare said. The investigation was in its early stages.
The truck was discovered in the area of Alondra Boulevard and Shoemaker Avenue in Cerritos, LaCommare said, however he declined to say what specific business it was found at or who owned the truck. He added it was possible the involved businesses were not aware of the marijuana.
The shipment originated in Mexico, he said.
"Any time you have a load that big, it's going to go through cartels or major narcotics traffickers," LaCommare said. "At this point, we're investigating to see who's involved."
He said the West Covina Police Department became involved in the investigation at the request of ICE.