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  4. Border Patrol Seizes Over $200 Thousand Worth of Methamphetamine, Fentanyl and Heroin

Border Patrol Seizes Over $200 Thousand Worth of Methamphetamine, Fentanyl and Heroin

Release Date
Thu, 11/05/2020

SALTON SEA, Calif. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents seized methamphetamine on Wednesday.

The incident occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m., when a man driving a burgundy Buick sedan approached the Highway 86 checkpoint. A Border Patrol K-9 detection team alerted to the vehicle as it waited in the traffic lane. Agents directed the vehicle aside for further investigation.

Seized
El Centro Border Patrol Agents arrested
a U.S. citizen for attempting to smuggle
 over $200 thousand worth of illegal 
drugs.

During their inspection, agents discovered 66 vacuum-sealed packages of suspected narcotics hidden inside of fuel tank. The substance inside of 64 packages tested positive for the characteristics of methamphetamine with the other two packages testing positive for fentanyl and heroin. Agents arrested the driver and held him for further processing. 

The total weight of the methamphetamine was approximately 83.53 pounds with an estimated value of $187,942. The weight of the fentanyl was 1.65 pounds with an estimated value of $18,870, and the weight of the heroin was 1.49 pounds with an estimated value of $19,040.

El Centro Sector turned over the driver, a 61-year-old United States citizen, the vehicle and the narcotics to U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021