TEMECULA, Calif. — Border Patrol agents patrolling Interstate 15 arrested two Mexican nationals in the last two days who were smuggling methamphetamine and marijuana.
The first incident occurred at approximately noon on Sunday. Agents driving north on the interstate became suspicious of a man
driving a 2000 Ford F-150 and initiated a vehicle stop at the Murrieta checkpoint. A nearby K-9 alerted to the vehicle, driven by a 70-year-old Mexican national. Agents requested a canine sniff of the truck, which resulted in a positive alert. Agents searched and discovered 27 bricks of methamphetamine hidden inside non-factory compartments in the front and rear seats. The narcotics were valued at $368,200.
On Monday at approximately 2:30 p.m., agents initiated a vehicle stop on a 2007 Dodge Caliber near the Murrieta checkpoint. A nearby canine alerted to the vehicle, driven by a 38-year-old Mexican national. Agents searched the vehicle and located 35 bundles of marijuana inside the gas tank. The narcotics weighed 32.03 pounds and were valued at $19,218.
Both men were arrested and turned over to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and face drug smuggling charges. The vehicles were seized by the U.S. Border Patrol.
To prevent the illicit smuggling of humans, drugs, and other contraband, the U.S. Border Patrol maintains a high level of vigilance on corridors of egress away from our Nation’s borders. To report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol, contact San Diego Sector at (619) 498-9900.