SALTON CITY, California. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents arrested a legal permanent resident attempting to smuggle narcotics through an immigration checkpoint, Friday morning.
At approximately 2:05 a.m., a white 2015 Freightliner approached the Highway 86 checkpoint. The agent inspecting vehicles in the primary lanes referred the vehicle to secondary inspection.
A Border Patrol K-9 detection team alerted to the rear of the attached trailer. Agents inspected the cargo being transported inside of the trailer and discovered three large black duffle bags concealed between cardboard bundles.
The contents of the bags revealed 110 separate vacuum sealed packages of a white crystalized substance. Agents placed the driver under arrest and escorted him inside of the checkpoint for further investigation. Tests of the white crystal-like substance came back positive for methamphetamine.
The driver, a 50-year-old male, was in possession of 233.9 pounds of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $514,580.
The driver, truck, trailer, and narcotics were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations.