Border Patrol seizes meth, heroin & arrests previously deported gang member

Border Patrol agents with the Indio and El Centro stations arrested three people in separate incidents over the past few days.

A 26-year-old man from the United States is facing charges of attempted drug smuggling after a Border Patrol canine located 1.74 pounds of heroin on a Greyhound Bus on Friday at about 4:15 p.m., agents said in a release.

Seven bundles of heroin were wrapped in black tape and hidden under a seat cushion that was near the suspect. Agents said the heroin has an estimated street value of $20,880.

The man was turned over to the Imperial County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force for further investigation.

The second incident happened later that same day and involved a 47-year-old Mexican citizen who was arrested for illegally entering the U.S. about 29 miles west of the Calexico West Port of Entry.

As agents were processing the man for illegal entry, they determined he was previously removed from the United States and belongs to the Sureo criminal gang, officials said in the release.

The man is being held at the Imperial County Jail pending prosecution for his illegal entry.

The final bust made by Border Patrol agents over the weekend occurred on Saturday night after they found 27 bundles of methamphetamine stuffed inside the rear rocker panels of a Chevy Malibu.

Agents said a 40-year-old woman from Mexico was driving the car and she was stopped at the Highway 86 checkpoint. The suspect and her 31-year-old passenger appeared nervous when they were presenting their B1/B2 visitor Visas, and that’s when the secondary inspection was made.

The methamphetamine weighed 29.68 pounds and is estimated to be worth $296,800.

The woman, car and drugs were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Agency as the investigation moves forward.