SALTON CITY–El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents working at the Highway 86 immigration checkpoint arrested a man suspected of smuggling methamphetamine Thursday morning.
The incident occurred at approximately 5:40 a.m., when a 30-year-old United States citizen man driving a 2002 Mercury Mountaineer 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 packages hidden inside the vehicles gas tank. Agents determined that the substance was consistent with the characteristics of methamphetamine.
The total weight of the methamphetamine discovered was 48.4 pounds, with an estimated value of $125,840.
Custody of the subject, vehicle, and narcotics was transferred to the Imperial County Narcotic Task Force (ICNTF).