Over $1M worth of cocaine found hidden in SUV at Highway 86 checkpoint

More than $1 million worth of cocaine was found hidden in an SUV at the U.S. Border Patrol Highway 86 immigration checkpoint.

The incident started when a white SUV approached the U.S. Border Patrol Highway 86 immigration checkpoint last Monday at around 2:50 p.m.

According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, during the primary inspection of the SUV, a Border Patrol K-9 detection team alerted to the presence of concealed people or drugs.

A subsequent inspection revealed 34 packages wrapped in brown cellophane concealed in a hidden compartment in the ceiling of the vehicle, the agency said.

Authorities confirmed the contents of the packages tested positive for cocaine. The estimated value of the drugs is more than $1.04 million.

Two U.S. citizens were arrested.

“It’s way too hot for this type of ‘snow’ in the El Centro Sector,” said Chief Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino. “Indio Station agents melted down plans to bring this poison to drug users in America, and I applaud those agents for bringing the fight to bad people and bad things here in the Premier Sector.”

The vehicle, drugs, and driver were turned over to the Imperial Valley Border Enforcement Security Task Force for further processing and investigation.