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El Centro Sector Border Patrol Thwarts Smuggling Attempt of Methamphetamine

Release Date
Fri, 03/14/2014

SALTON CITY, Calif. – Thursday, El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Indio Station arrested two suspected narcotics smugglers and seized more than 20 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in a utility trailer.

The incident occurred at approximately 11 a.m., when Border Patrol agents encountered a 52-year-old man, and his 31-year-old male passenger, driving a white Toyota 4Runner pulling a utility trailer as they approached the Highway 86 checkpoint located between Westmorland and Salton City. 

A Border Patrol Canine Detection team alerted to the vehicle and the two men were referred for further inspection.  During the inspection agents discovered 24 individual vacuum sealed packages of methamphetamine hidden within the flat bed of the utility trailer.

The methamphetamines had a combined weight of 20.18 pounds with an estimated street value of $131,202.

The suspected smugglers, a United States citizen and a United States Permanent Resident card holder were taken into custody.  The men, vehicle, and narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.

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 the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021