Niland, Calif. — Today, El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Indio Station arrest two suspected narcotics smugglers and seized more than 13 pounds of methamphetamine concealed inside a compartment within the vehicle.
The incident occurred at approximately 6 a.m., when Border Patrol agents encountered a 27-year-old man driving a green 1995 Honda Accord, along with a 47-year-old male passenger as they approached the Highway 111 checkpoint located near Niland, Calif. A Border Patrol Canine Detection team alerted to the vehicle and the driver was referred to secondary for further inspection.
During the inspection agents discovered multiple individually wrapped packages of methamphetamine hidden inside a natural void behind the radio underneath the dashboard of the vehicle. The methamphetamine had a combined weight of 13.99 pounds with an estimated street value of more than $167,000.
The driver, a United States citizen, and the passenger, a Lawful Permanent Resident from Mexico were taken into custody. The men, vehicle, and methamphetamine were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.