SAN DIEGO—San Diego Sector Border Patrol agents arrested two brothers and a husband and wife team who were smuggling heroin and methamphetamine inside their vehicles on Tuesday.
The brown heroin bundle was hidden inside the lining of a cooler.
The first incident occurred on Interstate 15 near Fallbrook at approximately 1:00 p.m. Agents stopped and questioned the driver of a 2009 Toyota Tacoma pickup. The 29-year-old U.S. citizen and his 24-year-old brother agreed to a vehicle search. A nearby Border Patrol K-9 responded and alerted to a cooler in the backseat of the truck. Further investigation revealed a brown heroin bundle hidden inside the lining of the cooler. The bundle weighed approximately five pounds and is worth an estimated $71,433.
Around 7:45 p.m., agents near San Clemente were patrolling Interstate 5 and approached a couple who were parked near the freeway. The 46-year-old female driver and her 64-year-old husband were rummaging through their car. They had a smoking pipe and a vial of crystal methamphetamine in the console area of their 2005 Infinity sedan. A K-9 search of the couple’s vehicle also revealed 42 bundles of crystal methamphetamine hidden inside the car’s fuel tank. The 42 bundles weighed 51.80 pounds and are valued at $518,000.
The four individuals in both instances were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Toyota truck and Infinity sedan were seized by the U.S. Border Patrol.
In fiscal year 2015, San Diego Sector intercepted 2,266 pounds of methamphetamine and 173 pounds of heroin.
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.