A vehicle stop by U.S. Border Patrol agents on Tuesday afternoon led to the arrest of a 45-year-old man and the seizure of narcotics valued at more than half a million dollars.
Yesterday at approximately 1 p.m., agents conducted a vehicle stop on the driver of a 2006 Chevrolet Equinox near Basilone Road on Interstate 5.
As agents interviewed the driver, a Border Patrol K-9 alerted to the man’s SUV. Agents searched and discovered 41 bundles of assorted narcotics hidden inside the vehicle door panels.
An inventory of the bundles revealed 28.66 pounds of heroin, 4.96 pounds of cocaine, and 24.91 pounds of methamphetamine. The total estimated street value was $560,334.
The man and the narcotics were turned over to a task force headed by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The vehicle was seized by the U.S. Border Patrol.
(See a CBP Canine Alert & Drug Seizure in Action. Feb. 26, 2017 in a joint operation with Alliance to Combat Transnational Threats (ACTT) partners, officers at the Port of Lukeville, AZ referred a 20-year-old Mexican woman for further inspection of her Ford SUV and, working with a canine team, found nearly 115 pounds of marijuana worth $58,00. The marijuana was concealed in various places throughout the vehicle, including the fuel tank. Courtesy of the CBP and YouTube)
Since October 1, 2016, Border Patrol agents in San Diego Sector have intercepted 228.57 pounds of heroin, 2,227.93 pounds of cocaine, and 2,935.15 pounds of methamphetamine.
To prevent the illicit smuggling of humans, drugs, and other contraband, the U.S. Border Patrol maintains a high level of vigilance in corridors of egress away from our Nation’s borders.
To report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol, contact San Diego Sector at (619) 498-9900.
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 the official ports of entry.
CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
