Border Patrol makes 479K drug bust in Salton City

Border Patrol seized over $360,000 worth of heroin and methamphetamine in Salton City on Feb. 10. El Centro Sector Border Patrol seized the drugs during two separate searches at their Highway 86 checkpoint according to a Border Patrol news release.

The first search and seizure was conducted at 7:10 a.m, when Border Patrol agents stopped a white 2007 Chevrolet HHR. After the preliminary checkpoint stop, the car was waved along for secondary inspection by a K-9 unit.

The K-9 unit was able to locate a hidden compartment in the car’s quarter panel. The agents removed 66 packages from the compartment. 57 packages tested positive for methamphetamine characteristics and nine tested positive for heroin characteristics. The packages have an estimated street value of $360,477.

The driver, a 25-year-old Mexican citizen, and the two passengers were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The second search and seizure took place at approximately 8:25 a.m. when Border Patrol stopped a black 2000 Acura TL driven by 17-year-old. The car was waved along for secondary inspection and a hidden compartment behind the gas tank was located.

Border Patrol agents removed 41 packages from the compartment. All of them tested positive for methamphetamine characteristics.The packages have an estimated street value of $119,064.

The driver, a juvenile U.S. citizen, was turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The El Centro Sector border patrol agents have seized over 377.88 pounds of methamphetamine and 20.98 pounds of heroin in the 2018 fiscal year.