Border Patrol agents stationed along Interstate 5 near San Clemente, California recently made a seizure approximately 58 pounds of illicit narcotics during a single traffic stop.
The incident began as agents stopped a 2006 Chevrolet Equinox SUV driven by a 45-year old U.S. citizen. During routine questioning and inspection, a narcotics-detecting canine unit alerted the officers to possible suspicious activity emanating from within the vehicle, which led the officers to refer the driver for a more thorough, secondary inspection.
A brief search of the vehicle led to the discovery of 41 bundles of various narcotics that were concealed inside the SUV’s door panels. A total of 28.66 pounds of heroin, 24.91 pounds of methamphetamine, and 4.96 pounds of cocaine were recovered, all of which carried an estimated street value of $560,000.
The man was subsequently arrested and turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for criminal processing. His vehicle was seized by Border Patrol.
The secure continues a trend seen by Border Patrol agents in the San Diego area. Since October of last year, agents have seized more than 2,935 pounds of methamphetamine, 2,227 pounds of cocaine, and 228 pounds of heroin.
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 the nation’s borders at and between the official ports of entry.