CALEXICO, Calif. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents encountered and seized narcotics left behind in an abandoned house early Tuesday morning.
The incident occurred at approximately 5 a.m., when agents working in the Calexico downtown area were searching for an individual who illegally entered the United States. Agents searched an abandoned house near the intersection of Dool Avenue and First Street, just 50 feet north of the U.S./Mexico International Boundary Fence.
While conducting their search, they encountered three packages wrapped in black tape, also referred to as “kettlebells,” a tactic consistent with the current narcotic smuggling trends in this area. The agents transported the packages back to the Calexico Border Patrol Station for further processing.
One kettlebell tested positive for cocaine and the other two were positive for methamphetamine. The total weight of the cocaine discovered was approximately 239.4 grams with an estimated value of $23,940 and the methamphetamine was approximately 523.4 grams with an estimated value of $52,340.
The narcotics were turned over to the U.S. 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.