$134K worth of Meth found in Truck’s Gas Tank
El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents arrested a man Friday morning at the Highway 86 immigration checkpoint suspected of smuggling methamphetamine.
According to a release by El Centro Sector Border Patrol, a 48-year-old man driving a white 2006 Ford Ranger approached the checkpoint at 9 a.m. The vehicle was sent to secondary inspection after a Border Patrol K-9 detection team alerted agents to the vehicle.
At secondary inspection, Border Patrol agents discovered 12 packages hidden inside the truck’s gas tank. The contents of the packages were examined and tested positive for methamphetamine.
The total weight of the methamphetamine was 42.03 pounds with an estimated street value of $134,496.
The man was determined to be a lawfully permitted legal resident and was turned over to the Drug Enforcement Agency along with the vehicle and narcotics.
According to Border Patrol, gas tanks are a common location drug smuggler’s hide their drugs.
Since fiscal year 2017, which started Oct. 1, 2016, the El Centro Sector has seized more than 1,076 pounds of methamphetamine.
