CALEXICO, Calif. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents arrested a man suspected smuggling methamphetamine on Interstate 8 Thursday afternoon.
The incident occurred at approximately 3:50 p.m., when a Border Patrol agent and his K-9 partner conducted a vehicle stop on a man driving 2003 Brown Toyota Tundra. The agent proceeded to conduct an immigration interview and during the course of the interview, he conducted a canine sniff of the exterior of the vehicle, which yielded a positive alert. The agent subsequently searched the vehicle and found two large gift-wrapped presents and a large plastic tote containing a total 119 cellophane wrapped packages.
The man, the packages and the vehicle were all transported to the Calexico Border Patrol Station for further processing.
At the station, the packages were tested with a narcotics test kit, which yielded a positive result for the characteristics of methamphetamine.
The total weight of the methamphetamine discovered was approximately 135 pounds, with an estimated value of $303,750.
The man, a 34-year-old legal permanent resident originally from Mexico, the narcotics and vehicle were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.