22 Bundles of Meth Smuggled in a Wheel Well Intercepted at the Border
Photo: Display of hidden meth
SALTON CITY – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents have announced the discovery of drugs and subsequent arrest of an anonymous female suspected of smuggling drugs inside a vehicle’s wheel well Friday April 13th.
Shortly after 1 p.m., a blue Ford Mustang approached the primary inspection area of the Highway 86 Checkpoint, launching a canine detection team into action.
When the canine detection team gave the alert toward the vehicle passenger side’s wheel well, spurring the referring agent’s secondary thorough immigration inspection, agents discovered 22 wrapped bundles packed inside a false compartment.
Testing positive for the characteristics of methamphetamine, the bust weighed in at 23.3 pounds with an estimated value of $76,890.
The woman was transported to the station for further processing, where she was later identified as a United States Citizen.
El Centro Sector Chief Gloria I. Chavez announced, “Through vigilance and hard work, the United States Border Patrol will continue to keep dangerous drugs out of our communities.”
Joint Task Force West (JTF-W) California Corridor is an integrated command comprised of eight agencies: Office of Border Patrol, Office of Field Operations, Office of Air and Marine, Homeland Security Investigations, Enforcement and Removal Operations, Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Coast Guard, and the United States Attorney’s Office.
Their goal is “to dismantle transnational criminal organizations, avert acts of terrorism, and prevent terrorist operatives and weapons from entering the U.S. In doing so, we secure land borders, coastal waters, and continental airspace while expediting the lawful movement of people and goods.”
The El Centro Sector has seized more than 507.21 pounds of methamphetamine during the 2018 fiscal year.
