Imperial Valley BP prevents three drug smuggling attempts
Drugs seized worth over $1.2M
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Andrade and Calexico West ports of entry prevented three attempts to smuggle $1.2 million worth of cocaine and methamphetamine into the country over the past weekend.
According to information provided by CBP public affairs, the first seizure occurred on Friday at about 5:07 p.m., at the Andrade port of entry, after a CBP officer referred an 81-year-old male U.S. citizen who was driving a gray 2000 Ford Expedition for further inspection.
While CBP officers were conducting an intensive inspection, a canine alerted to the vehicle, which led to the discovery of 91 wrapped packages of methamphetamine hidden in various locations throughout the Expedition’s doors, gas tank, and spare tire.
The narcotics weighed 108 pounds with a street value of approximately $270,000. The driver, a resident of Yuma, was arrested for the alleged narcotic smuggling attempt.
The second seizure occurred the following day, on Saturday, at about 3:20 p.m., at the Andrade port when an officer encountered a 23-year-old male Mexican citizen in a white 2017 Renault Duster.
When a canine team alerted to the vehicle, officers escorted both the driver and vehicle to secondary inspection.
During the secondary inspection, officers, using a canine team, found 35 wrapped packages of methamphetamine and 26 packages of cocaine concealed inside a non-factory compartment in the cargo area of the vehicle.
The weight of the narcotic was 47 pounds of methamphetamine and 69 pounds of cocaine with a combined estimated street value of $892,500. The driver, a resident of Los Algodones, Baja California, was arrested for the alleged narcotic smuggling attempt.
A few hours later, at about 10:07 p.m..a 44-year-old male U.S. citizen driving a 1999 Dodge Dakota who was attempting to enter the U.S.at the Calexico West port of entry was referred to the secondary area.
Using the port’s imaging system and a canine team to search the vehicle, officers discovered 48 wrapped packages of methamphetamine concealed inside the quarter panels of the vehicle. The weight of the narcotic was 54 pounds with a street value of approximately $135,000.
All drivers were turned over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigation agents for further processing and were later transported to the Imperial County Jail where they currently await arraignment.
CBP seized the narcotics and vehicles.