DEA agents have seized the largest quantity of methamphetamine recovered in New York City in recent history, uncovering 300 pounds of crystal meth valued at approximately $1 million, officials announced Wednesday.

Investigators say the trafficking method used to move the drugs into the Tri-State area was unlike anything they had previously encountered.

“This is one of the most unique smuggling methods we’ve seen in recent memory,” said Frank Tarentino, special agent in charge of the DEA’s New York Division.

When agents inspected a tractor-trailer in Brooklyn, it appeared to be loaded with boxes of papayas. But hidden beneath the produce, smugglers had carved out hollow compartments within the wooden pallets themselves to conceal kilogram packages of meth.

“The organization—in this case, the cartel—used significant ingenuity and skill to hide these kilograms inside the pallets so they were invisible to the naked eye,” Tarentino said.

Investigators have traced the supply chain from Brooklyn back to Sinaloa, Mexico, home base of the powerful Sinaloa cartel.

“This seizure is directly tied to the Sinaloa cartel, one of the two most dominant cartels responsible for the fentanyl and meth flooding into America and killing Americans,” Tarentino added.

Agents say the discovery underscores a renewed surge in meth trafficking.

“These organizations adapt quickly. They can pivot from producing fentanyl to meth or cocaine with ease,” Tarentino said. “We’re watching them evolve in real time to counter our law enforcement tactics.”

Methamphetamine, which is inexpensive to produce and highly addictive, is often adulterated with synthetic substances by the time it reaches users, making it even more dangerous. New York City serves as a major distribution hub for the Northeast, and federal authorities believe the seized shipment was destined for multiple regional markets.

The driver of the tractor-trailer has been arrested and is facing federal narcotics and weapons charges.