Woman arrested after allegedly smuggling 60 pounds of meth

A 33-year-old woman was arrested Thursday while crossing the East Port of Entry after allegedly attempting to smuggle more than 60 pounds of methamphetamine in her vehicle.

Michelle O. Martinez, city of residence undisclosed, was taken into custody at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the POE by Homeland Security Investigations agents and booked into county jail on suspicion of unlawful importation of a controlled substance, stated county Sheriff’s Office arrest records.

Martinez was held with no bond for the alleged felony offense, arrest records stated.

While Martinez was crossing, she stated to a Customs and Border Protection officer that she was going home to Victorville and went to Mexicali for a doctor’s visit and to refill a prescription.

Martinez then showed her prescription to a CBP officer who noticed the prescription was last filled on Dec. 21, stated a federal court complaint.

Martinez’s vehicle was then referred to secondary inspection, where a CBP officer observed anomalies in the rear quarter panels and gas tank of the vehicle.

A Human and Narcotics Detection Dog was then requested and alerted to the vehicle.

A CBP officer removed a speaker cover on the rear quarter panel and discovered a package containing a crystal-like substance, stated the court complaint.

A total of 61 packages, which had a total weight of 66.14 pounds, were removed from the vehicle. A sample was taken from one of the packages and field-tested positive for properties of methamphetamine. According to the court complaint, Martinez stated she was going to be paid approximately $3,000 to smuggle the methamphetamine into the United States.

Martinez stated she owned the vehicle and was first approached approximately one month ago to transport drugs.

She was instructed to park the vehicle in a Supermarket parking lot in Mexicali and wait for the vehicle to be returned.

Martinez stated she drove directly to the East POE and was supposed to drive to Los Angeles, where she would park the vehicle and wait for it to be returned, stated the court complaint.