Border Patrol finds 60 pounds of cocaine hidden in car’s bumpers

Border Patrol agents busted a 39-year-old man at the Highway 86 Checkpoint early Monday morning after discovering 60 pounds of cocaine hidden inside the bumpers of his car.

According to authorities, the man is a United States citizen and he pulled up to the checkpoint in a Ford Taurus just after 5 a.m. The suspected drug smuggler was ordered to go through a secondary inspection after a canine alerted agents to his car.

Agents said they discovered hidden compartments in both bumpers of the car, containing 24 packaged of cocaine wrapped in cellophane. The cocaine weighed 60.97 pounds and is estimated to be worth $731,640 on the street.

“This seizure highlights the important role played by our K-9 handlers and their partners in keeping our communities free from dangerous drugs,” said Assistant Chief Patrol Agent David S. Kim.

According to the Border Patrol’s release, since Oct. 1, 2016, El Centro Sector seized more than 264.83 pounds of cocaine.