INDIO, Calif. — El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents working at the Highway 86 U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint arrested a man suspected of smuggling narcotics Monday afternoon.
The incident occurred at approximately 2:45 p.m., when a 21-year-old man driving a blue SUV approached the checkpoint. At the primary inspection point a K-9 detection team trained to detect concealed people and narcotics alerted to the vehicle. Agents sent the vehicle to secondary inspection for further investigation.
While in secondary inspection, Border Patrol agents inspected the gas tank and noticed anomalies. Agents discovered a suspicious crystallized liquid inside the tank. Subsequent testing of the liquid confirmed the presence of methamphetamine.
Border Patrol agents safely extracted a total of 218 pounds of liquid methamphetamine with an estimated value of $328,000.
The driver, drugs, and vehicle were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation and processing.
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