Border Patrol finds 46 lbs of meth hidden in spare tire during Coachella Valley traffic stop
Border Patrol agents found more than $82,000 hidden in a spare tire after a traffic stop on Interstate 10 in the Coachella Valley.
The incident started at approximately midnight on Monday. According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, agents conducted a traffic stop on a silver 2013 Volkswagen Passat on the I-10, east of the Golf Center Parkway exit. There was no word on why the vehicle was originally stopped.
During the stop, a border patrol K-9 detection team alerted agents to the trunk of the vehicle. Agents conducted an inspection of the trunk, where they found that the spare tire was unusually heavier than a normal spare tire, according to the department.
Agents ended up finding nine packages of a white crystalized substance inside the tire. The contents of the nine packages tested positive for methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $82,260.
The 26-year-old male driver and 53-year-old female passenger, both US citizens, were taken into custody and transported to the Indio station. The driver, vehicle, and narcotics were later turned over to the Department of Homeland Security Investigations.
