U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to a checkpoint inspection site along Interstate 15 in Temecula, California recently seized more than 100 pounds of alleged cocaine in a single incident.
The situation began as officers encountered a 2000 Infinity QX4 SUV driven by an unnamed 46-year old man. After the vehicle was referred for a secondary inspection, the man sped away from the checkpoint.
After a brief car chase the man left his vehicle in a residential area near Temecula Parkway and attempted to evade officers on foot. The chase ended shortly after an officer deployed an electronic control device, also known as a taser, on the man.
The man was subsequently arrested and transferred to a nearby station while his car was searched. A brief search of the vehicle led to the discovery of 37 bundles of alleged cocaine, all of which was concealed inside a speaker box and a plastic container located in the SUV’s cargo area.
In total, officers seized 101.41 pounds of the substance, which carried an estimated street value of $1.5 million.
The man was detained in a Riverside County facility and charged with narcotics trafficking. The SUV was seized by Border Patrol.
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.