Imperial County, CA. – Recently, Border Patrol agents from the El
Centro Sector disrupted three separate narcotics smuggling attempts valued at
more than $3 million.
The first incident occurred last Thursday, at around 7:20 p.m., when
a Border Patrol canine team alerted to gold Toyota Tundra during primary
inspection at Highway 86 Checkpoint near Westmorland. The driver, a 27-year-old
male U.S. citizen, was referred to secondary inspection for further
investigation. While in secondary, agents used a large scale imaging system and
detected an anomaly in the pickup truck’s tires. A thorough search of the tires
resulted in the discovery of 61 pounds of cocaine. The total street value of the
cocaine is estimated at more than $1,950,000.
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The following day, Indio agents at the 86 Checkpoint discovered more
than 1300 pounds of marijuana hidden inside an international cargo truck
transporting produce. The incident occurred at around 10:30 p.m., when a Border
Patrol canine team alerted to the truck during primary inspection. The driver, a
21-year-old male U.S. citizen, was placed in secondary inspection where agents
located the narcotics hidden throughout several boxes of watermelon. The total
street value of the marijuana is estimated at more than $1,070,000.
Today, at 1:30 a.m., agents assigned to the Calexico Border Patrol
All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Unit discovered multiple discarded bundles of
marijuana hidden in the desert approximately 19 miles east of Calexico. ATV
agents located the bundles north of Interstate 8 after following the foot tracks
of several backpackers who had illegally crossed the border into the U.S. from
Mexico. The bundles of marijuana weighed approximately 70 pounds and were given
an estimated street value of more than $56,000. The backpackers were able to
avoid apprehension by absconding back into Mexico.
In each incident, all suspects were turned over to the Drug
Enforcement Administration along with the narcotics and vehicles.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency
within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control
and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of
entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the
country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
