SALTON CITY, Calif. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents of the Indio Station assigned to the Highway 86 checkpoint arrested a man suspected of smuggling methamphetamine inside a dashboard Wednesday.
inside a dashboard.
The arrest occurred at approximately 8:33 a.m., when a 23-year-old man approached the Border Patrol checkpoint in a silver 2011 Hyundai Elantra.
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, the K9 again alerted to the front of the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed 25 wrapped bundles hidden within the dashboard, which tested positive for the characteristics of methamphetamine.
“Once again our agents are locating and intercepting narcotics like these and keeping them off the streets,” said Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez.
The narcotics had a combined weight of 27.5 pounds with an estimated street value of $55,000.
The man, a U.S. citizen, the vehicle, and the narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.