Salton Sea, CA–El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents arrested a United States citizen attempting to smuggle methamphetamine through an immigration checkpoint Monday evening.
The 62-year-old man was smuggling approximately 98.67 pounds of methamphetamine with an estimated value of $271,342.
The incident occurred at about 7:15 p.m., when a black 2009 Acura TSX approached the Highway 86 immigration checkpoint. The agent in primary inspection referred the vehicle to the secondary inspection area for further investigation.
During a secondary inspection, a Border Patrol K-9 detection team alerted to the trunk of the vehicle and discovered two cardboard boxes along with a blue plastic container containing several vacuum-sealed bags of a white crystal-like substance.
The contents inside the packages tested positive for the characteristics of methamphetamine. Agents arrested the driver and held him for further processing.
The man, vehicle, and narcotics were later turned over to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
