Salton City, Calif. - On August 24, CBP U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Indio station seized more than $400,000 of methamphetamine at the Highway 86 Border Patrol Checkpoint near Indio.
The incident occurred during the evening, after a Border Patrol canine team alerted to a green Honda Civic. Border Patrol agents referred the driver for further inspection and observed several anomalies within the door panels. Agents conducted a more thorough search and discovered 12 packages of methamphetamine hidden within the vehicle's rocker panel. The illegal narcotics weighed 13.58 pounds and had an estimated street value of $434,560.
The Drug Enforcement Administration took custody of the driver, a 19-year-old female United States Citizen, the vehicle and narcotics.
The El Centro Sector's Community Awareness Campaign is a simple and effective program to raise public awareness on the indicators of crime and other threats. We encourage public and private sector employees to remain vigilant and play a key role in keeping our country safe. Please report any suspicious activity to the Border Community Threat Hotline at (800) 901-2003.