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  4. CBP Officers Discover Man Under Vehicle Seat and more than 50 Pounds of Methamphetamine

CBP Officers Discover Man Under Vehicle Seat and more than 50 Pounds of Methamphetamine

Release Date
Tue, 11/06/2018

CALEXICO, Calif.— U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Calexico East port of entry discovered 50 pounds of methamphetamine and found a man hidden under the passenger’s seat of a vehicle in two separate incidents on Tuesday.

On Nov. 5 at about 8:20 a.m., CBP officers working at the Calexico East border crossing encountered a 21-year-old female U.S. citizen driving a 2018 Buick Regal as she approached a booth for inspection booth.  The CBP officer referred the driver and vehicle for a more in-depth examination.

During their inspection, officers discovered 46 wrapped packages of methamphetamine weighing 50 pounds hidden inside the vehicle’s gas tank.  The methamphetamine is valued at $125,000.

The driver, a resident of Bakersfield, was arrested for the alleged narcotic smuggling attempt.

CBP officers turned her over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations agents for further processing.  CBP officers seized the vehicle and the methamphetamine.

Later that day, at about 9 p.m., CBP officers encountered a 25-year-old male Mexican citizen and resident of Mexicali, Baja Mexico, driving a 2006 Ford explorer.  The CBP officer referred both the driver and vehicle for further examination.

CBP officers ran the vehicle through the port’s imaging system and detected anomalies under the front passenger seat. Officers removed the seat and discovered a man hidden inside a metal non-factory compartment, which trapped his ability to exit freely.  CBP officers determined that the man is a citizen of India with no legal documents to enter the United States.

CBP officers paroled the man into the U.S. to serve as a material witness during the criminal proceedings.  The driver was booked into the Imperial Valley County Jail and will face criminal charges.

CBP seized the vehicle.

CBP officers at the border crossings in Southern California routinely stop illegal activity, while processing millions of legitimate travelers into the United States.  Those statistics can be found on CBP Enforcement Statistics webpage.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021