Agents Seize Cocaine, Meth in Single Smuggling Attempt
SALTON CITY, Calif. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Highway 86 checkpoint arrested a man suspected of smuggling methamphetamine and cocaine concealed in an aftermarket floor compartment underneath the driver and passenger seats Sunday afternoon.
The arrest occurred at approximately 3:30 p.m. when a 35-year-old Mexican national approached the Border Patrol checkpoint in a brown 2015 Renault Duster Expression.
As the vehicle approached the primary inspection booth, a Border Patrol K9 team alerted to the vehicle. The primary agent referred the vehicle for a secondary inspection.
During the secondary inspection, agents discovered 61 wrapped packages hidden within an aftermarket floor compartment underneath the driver and passenger seats. Of the 61 packages 56-tested positive for the characteristics of methamphetamines. The other five packages tested positive for the characteristics of cocaine.
The 56 packages containing methamphetamine had a combined weight of 109.65 pounds with an estimated street value of $284,856. The five packages containing cocaine weighed a total of 13.12 pounds with a street value of $170,560.
The vehicle and the narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.
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