SALTON CITY, Calif. –Friday, El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Indio Station arrested a suspected narcotics smuggler and seized more than two pounds of heroin strapped to his legs.
The incident occurred at approximately 8:30 a.m., when an Americanos Bus from Calexico approached the Highway 86 checkpoint and was referred for further inspection.
During inspection and questioning of passengers, a 19-year-old man was removed from the bus. While outside of the bus, a Border Patrol Canine Detection Team alerted to the thigh area of the man. Border Patrol agents discovered the man had one medium sized package strapped around each thigh with black electrical tape.
The two packages contained heroin that had a combine weight of 2.66 pounds with an estimated street value of $26,600.
The man, a naturalized United States citizen and heroin were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.