SALTON CITY, Calif. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Highway 86 Checkpoint stopped three narcotics smuggling attempts in three separate events over the weekend.
The first incident occurred on Friday at approximately 3:45 p.m., when a man driving a black Chrysler Sebring approached the checkpoint. A Border Patrol K-9 detection team alerted to the vehicle in the primary inspection lane. Agents directed the vehicle to enter the secondary inspection area for further investigation.
While in secondary inspection, agents discovered 54 wrapped packages concealed in an aftermarket compartment in the rear bumper. The substance inside the packages tested positive for the characteristics of methamphetamine. The driver was placed under arrest and was escorted to the detention area for further processing.
180 wrapped packages concealed within the roof,
door panels and gas tank of a Ford F-150.
The substance inside the packages tested positive
for the characteristics of methamphetamine.
The total weight of the methamphetamine discovered was approximately 45.78 pounds with an estimated value of $103,005.
The man, a 39-year-old United States citizen, the vehicle and the methamphetamine were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The second incident occurred on Saturday at approximately 7:15 a.m., when a man driving a gray Ford F-150 Toyota approached the checkpoint. A Border Patrol K-9 detection team alerted to the vehicle in the primary inspection lane. Agents directed the vehicle to enter the secondary inspection area for further investigation.
While in secondary inspection, agents discovered 180 wrapped packages concealed within the roof, door panels and gas tank of the vehicle. The substance inside the packages tested positive for the characteristics of methamphetamine. The driver was placed under arrest and was escorted to the detention area for further processing.
The total weight of the methamphetamine discovered was approximately 245.24 pounds with an estimated value of $551,790.
The man, a 40-year-old United States citizen, the vehicle and the methamphetamine were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
packages of narcotics hidden
inside a Scion.
The third incident occurred on Saturday at approximately 7:20 a.m., when a man driving a gray Toyota Scion along with a male passenger approached the checkpoint. A Border Patrol K-9 detection team alerted to the vehicle in the primary inspection lane. Agents directed the vehicle to enter the secondary inspection area for further investigation.
While in secondary inspection, agents discovered several packages concealed in the rear quarter panels of the vehicle.
Both men were placed under arrest and were escorted to the detention area for further processing.
There was a total of 66 packages: 60 tested positive for methamphetamine, two for cocaine, two for heroin and two for fentanyl.
The methamphetamine had a total weight of 76.93 pounds with an estimated value of $173,092.
The cocaine had a total weight of 6.34 pounds with an estimated value of $76,080.
The heroin had a total weight of 3.91 pounds with an estimated value of $42,480.
The fentanyl had a total weight of 2.21 pounds with an estimated value of $25,000.
The men, a 21-year-old United States citizen and a 20-year-old United States citizen, the vehicle and the narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The total estimated value of all the narcotics seized over the weekend was $946,472.
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