Agents find 97 pounds of meth in car gas tank, on its way to Bay Area

Federal authorities arrested a man on federal charges that allege he was caught transporting 97 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in the gas tank of his car, then jumped bail after being released, court records show.

Edgar Gonzales, 43, was arrested in San Jose on Tuesday in connection with a federal warrant out of San Diego. Last August, Gonzales was arrested at the San Ysidro Port of Entry driving a 2008 Dodge Ram with the drugs hidden inside, court records allege.

Gonzales was charged with importation of a controlled substance and released on bond. But when he failed to submit a bond package by a Sept. 14 deadline, a warrant was issued for his arrest, according to court records.

Gonzales was subsequently released in October, and once again allegedly failed to submit a bond packet on time. That resulted in a second search warrant and his arrest Tuesday, according to court records.

During an inspection at the border, federal agents noticed the gas tank of the Dodge seemed “unusually solid,” according to the charging records. They discovered 40 packages hidden inside a secret compartment within the tank, where the 97 pounds were hidden, according to court records.

During a subsequent interview with Customs and Border Protection agents, Gonzales admitted to being paid $10,000 to take the drugs to San Jose, but said it was the first time he had ever done such a thing, according to the criminal complaint.