Texas DPS Seizes $3.4 Million Worth of Methamphetamine in Operation Lone Star Traffic Stop

WESLACO, TX – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) seized nearly 2,000 pounds of methamphetamine, with an estimated street value of $3.4 million, during a traffic stop related to Operation Lone Star in Live Oak County on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. The drugs were being transported to Dallas.

According to DPS, a Trooper initiated a traffic stop on a blue 2020 Kenworth truck tractor semi-trailer on US 281 near George West at approximately 3:30 p.m. During the stop, the Trooper observed indicators of potential criminal activity, leading to a more thorough investigation.

A K-9 unit from the Live Oak County Sheriff’s Office alerted to the trailer, prompting a search by the Trooper and Special Agents with DPS’s Criminal Investigations Division (CID). The search revealed 479 black tape-wrapped bundles of methamphetamine concealed within a false floor compartment beneath the trailer.

The driver, Diego Mendez, 32, of Alton, Texas, was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance over 400 grams, a first-degree felony. He is currently held in the Live Oak County Jail. Source

Operation Lone Star and Border Security

Operation Lone Star, launched in 2021 by Governor Greg Abbott, is a collaborative effort between the Texas National Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety to secure the southern border. The operation aims to deter and repel illegal crossings, arrest human smugglers and cartel members and prevent the flow of drugs like fentanyl into the United States. Source

The Texas Military Department (TMD) likewise integrates with DPS to deploy border security assets to high-threat areas as part of Operation Lone Star. Source

Governor Abbott stated that Texas stepped up under Operation Lone Star to protect Texans and Americans from the border crisis. Source