Heroin & meth found in car battery at Hwy 86 checkpoint
El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Indio Station arrested a man accused of trying to smuggle heroin and methamphetamine at the Highway 86 checkpoint on Monday afternoon.
Agents found the narcotics hidden inside the man’s car battery. The suspect, a resident of Mexico, was driving a Dodge Charger and he’s now in the custody of the Drug Enforcement Agency.
The 27-year-old suspect pulled up to the checkpoint at about 1 p.m. and a secondary inspection was issued after a canine alerted agents to the car. Authorities found a compartment inside the car’s battery containing a smaller battery and three wrapped bundles, agents said in a news release.
Authorities said the narcotics found in clear plastic bags tested positive for methamphetamine and the drugs found wrapped in black electrical tape tested positive for heroin. The narcotics weighed 4.53 pounds and are estimated to be worth $49,970 on the street.
“Criminal organizations will go to great lengths in order to carry out their illegal activities,” said Chief Patrol Agent Rodney S. Scott. “I commend our hard-working agents for their exemplary efforts in keeping these harmful drugs out of our communities.”
El Centro Sector has seized approximately 130 pounds of meth and a little over 20 pounds of heroin in fiscal year 2017, according to authorities.
