SALTON CITY, Calif. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents arrested a United States citizen attempting to smuggle narcotics through an immigration checkpoint Tuesday morning.
At approximately 1:15 a.m., a white 2015 Dodge Durango approached the Highway 86 checkpoint. The agent inspecting vehicles in the primary lanes referred the vehicle to secondary inspection.
A Border Patrol K-9 detection team alerted to the rear of the vehicle. Agents inspected both the interior and exterior of the vehicle and discovered vacuum sealed packages of a white crystalized substance located in the quarter panels of both the driver and passenger sides. In an inspection of the vehicle’s under carriage, agents noticed the spare tire. Further investigation into the spare tire revealed several other packages attempting to be concealed inside, a common trend seen in narcotic smuggling.
Agents placed the driver under arrest and escorted him inside of the checkpoint for further investigation. Tests of the white crystal-like substance came back positive for methamphetamine.
The 36-year-old male driver was in possession of 103.6 pounds of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $228,008.
The driver, vehicle, and narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
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