Border Patrol reports multiple drug seizures
El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents made multiple drug arrests Friday and Saturday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a release.
The first incident occurred Friday about 3:30 p.m., when a man driving a blue Chevrolet Blazer approached the Highway 111 checkpoint. After a K-9 detection team alerted to the vehicle in the primary inspection lane, agents directed the vehicle to secondary inspection for further investigation.
While in secondary inspection, agents discovered packages inside the oil pan of the vehicle. The substance inside the packages tested positive for fentanyl.
Agents arrested the man and took him to the detention area for further processing.
The fentanyl weighed 13.8 pounds with an estimated value of $200,320.
The driver is a 41-year-old U.S. citizen. He, the vehicle and the narcotics were turned over to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
The second incident occurred about 5:15 p.m., when a man driving a white Chevrolet Traverse approached the Highway S2 checkpoint. A K-9 detection team alerted to the vehicle in the primary inspection lane, and agents directed the vehicle to secondary inspection.
While in secondary inspection, agents discovered several small packages inside the vehicle. The contents of the packages were 414 grams of marijuana, 580 grams of psilocybin, 18 grams of MDMA and 16 doses of LSD. Agents arrested the man and took him to the detention area for further processing.
The total estimated value of the drugs was $6,410.
Agent turned over the driver, a 47-year-old U.S. citizen; the vehicle, and the drugs to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
The third incident occurred Saturday about 12:09 a.m., near the intersection of Heber Avenue and First Street. Agents working in the Calexico downtown area found three electrical-tape wrapped packages on the ground.
The package contents tested positive for the methamphetamine. The meth weighed 3.2 pounds and had an estimated street value of $6,950.
The agents seized the packages and transported them back to the Calexico Border Patrol Station for further processing before turning them over to DEA.
The fourth incident occurred Saturday about 10:26 p.m. Two men in a blue Chevrolet Blazer approached the Highway S2 checkpoint and prompted an alert from the K-9 team. Agents directed the vehicle to enter the secondary inspection area for further investigation.
In secondary, agents discovered several small packages inside the vehicle. The contents of the packages were 3 grams of marijuana, 2.6 grams of cocaine, 13 grams of psilocybin, 2 pills of MDMA and a trace amount of LSD. Agents arrested the man and took him to the detention area for further processing.
The total estimated value of the drugs was $273.
El Centro Sector turned over the men, the vehicle and the drugs to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.