U.S. Citizens Caught Smuggling Nearly $400 Thousand of Meth into U.S.

SALTON CITY, Calif. – Nearly $400 thousand worth of methamphetamine was stopped before it was smuggled into the United States over the weekend.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents assigned to the Indio Station arrested four U.S. citizens who attempted to smuggle the methamphetamine hidden in their vehicles. The incidents took place on Saturday, August 13th and on Sunday, August 14th, officials said.

On Saturday a 22-year-old female driver and her 25-year-old passenger approached the Border checkpoint on Highway 86 in a 2010 Ford Fusion. The canine alerted the agents during the pre-primary inspection. The woman was then referred to a secondary inspection where agents located 39 bundles of methamphetamine with a combined weight of approximately 42 pounds hidden in the rocker panels of the car.  The street value of the methamphetamine is around $171,600.

On Sunday afternoon at around 3:00 p.m. Border Patrol agents pulled over a 2005 Honda Odyssey on the I-10 freeway. The vehicle was being driven west bound and was occupied by a 31-year-old female driver and 25-year-old male passenger. A canine again alerted agents to the detection of drugs.

The vehicle was inspected, during the inspection an aftermarket floorboard-area compartment was found to have bundles of what appeared to be narcotics. The vehicle was taken to the Indio Border Patrol Station for further inspection. Agents removed 35 bundles of over 55 pounds of methamphetamine. The street value of the methamphetamine is estimated at $222,720.

“These seizures are an example of the great work of El Centro Sector,” said Chief Patrol Agent Rodney S. Scott. “Our community is a safer place because of the great work these brave men and women carry out daily.”

The four suspects, the vehicles, and the drugs were all turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for additional investigation and prosecution.

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