SALTON CITY, Calif.–El Centro Sector Border Patrol Agents seized over 16 pounds of methamphetamine over the weekend in two separate events.
The first incident occurred Saturday at approximately 9:50 a.m., when a commercial passenger bus approached the Highway 86 checkpoint. Agents directed the bus to enter the secondary inspection area for an immigration inspection of its passengers.
While in secondary inspection, agents noticed a man who appeared nervous and stuttering during his immigration interview. Agents asked for and received consent to pat down his person for safety reasons. During the pat down, agents felt a stiff canvas like material strapped to this leg. When asked about it, the man admitted to having illegal drugs strapped to his thigh. Agents arrested the man, escorted him off the bus and took him to the detention area for further processing. Agents safely removed a cellophane wrapped package that was duct taped to the man’s thigh. The substance inside the package tested positive for the characteristics of methamphetamine.
The total weight of the methamphetamine was approximately 1.14 pounds with an estimated value of $2,565.
El Centro Sector turned over the passenger, a 28-year-old U.S. citizen and the narcotics to the Border Crimes Suppression Team.
The second incident occurred Sunday at approximately 2:30 p.m., when an individual near a campsite in Westmorland waved down a Border Patrol agent. The person said that a man driving a red off-road vehicle had abandoned a backpack and drove off as soon as he saw a marked Border Patrol vehicle approaching. Agents discovered multiple plastic wrapped packages inside the backpack. Agents took the abandoned backpack and its contents to the Highway 86 checkpoint for processing. The substance inside the packages tested positive for the characteristics of methamphetamine.
The total weight of the methamphetamine was approximately 15.147 pounds with an estimated value of $34,081.
