Border Patrol seizes nearly $1 million worth of drugs at the Highway 86 checkpoint
El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents seized $946,472 worth of drugs in three smuggling attempts uncovered at the Highway 86 checkpoint near the Salton Sea over the weekend.
The first bust happened on Friday afternoon.
According to Border Patrol, agents found 54 wrapped packages hidden in an aftermarket compartment in the rear bumper of a black Chrysler Sebring.
The packages tested positive for the characteristics of methamphetamine. The total weight of the methamphetamine discovered was approximately 45.78 pounds with an estimated value of $103,005.
The driver, a 39-year-old U.S. citizen, was placed under arrest turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration along with the vehicle and the methamphetamine.
The second incident occurred on Saturday morning.
Border Patrol agents found 180 wrapped packages concealed within the roof, door panels and gas tank of a gray Ford F-150. The agency confirmed that the substance inside the packages tested positive for the characteristics of methamphetamine.
The total weight of the methamphetamine discovered was approximately 245.24 pounds with an estimated value of $551,790.
The driver, a 40-year-old United States citizen, was arrested and turned over to the DEA along with the vehicle and the methamphetamine.
The third and final incident of this weekend occurred also happened Saturday morning, about five minutes after the second bust.
Border Patrol revealed that agents found 66 packages hidden in the rear quarter panels of a gray Toyota Scion. 60 tested positive for methamphetamine, two for cocaine, two for heroin, and two for fentanyl.
The methamphetamine had a total weight of 76.93 pounds with an estimated value of $173,092. The heroin had a total weight of 3.91 pounds with an estimated value of $42,480. The fentanyl had a total weight of 2.21 pounds with an estimated value of $25,000.
Two men, a 21-year-old U.S. citizen and a 20-year-old U.S. citizen, were arrested and turned over to the DEA along with the vehicle and the narcotics.
