An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  • Archived Content
    In an effort to keep CBP.gov current, the archive contains content from a previous administration or is otherwise outdated.
  1. Home
  2. Newsroom
  3. Local Media Release
  4. Fentanyl Smuggling Attempt Foiled by Border Patrol

Fentanyl Smuggling Attempt Foiled by Border Patrol

Release Date
Mon, 03/16/2020

SALTON CITY, Calif. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents working at the Highway 86 immigration checkpoint arrested a man suspected of smuggling fentanyl Friday afternoon.

The incident occurred at approximately 6:15 p.m., when a 21-year-old man approached the checkpoint driving a blue Volkswagen Jetta.  During a brief immigration interview, agents noticed the driver was unusually nervous.  Agents sent the vehicle to secondary inspection for further investigation.

In secondary inspection, a Border Patrol canine detection team alerted to the vehicle.  Border Patrol agents discovered seven packages concealed in a hidden aftermarket compartment within the center console of the vehicle.  After the agents examined the packages, it was determined that the content was consistent with the characteristics of fentanyl.

The total weight of the fentanyl discovered was 17.4 pounds, with an estimated street value of $162,000.

The man, a United States citizen, and the narcotics were turned over to Drug Enforcement Administration.

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 official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.

Last Modified: Oct 27, 2023