SALTON CITY, Calif. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents working at the Highway 86 immigration checkpoint arrested a man suspected of smuggling narcotics Friday morning.
The incident occurred at approximately 11:55 a.m., when a 22-year-old man driving a black Toyota Solara approached the checkpoint. A Border Patrol canine detection team alerted to the vehicle. Agents sent the vehicle to secondary inspection for further investigation.
While in secondary inspection, Border Patrol agents discovered 59 packages hidden inside the back seat and rocker panels of the vehicle. Agents determined that the substances was consistent with the characteristics of methamphetamine.
The total weight of the narcotics discovered was 62.30 pounds of methamphetamine with an estimated value of $118,370.
The man, a United States citizen, the narcotics and vehicle were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).