SALTON CITY, Calif. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents working at the Highway 86 immigration checkpoint arrested a woman suspected of smuggling methamphetamine on Saturday.
The incident occurred at approximately 5:47 p.m., when a 26-year-old woman driving a black Nissan Altima approached the checkpoint. A Border Patrol canine detection team alerted to the vehicle. Agents sent the vehicle to secondary inspection for further investigation.
While in secondary inspection, Border Patrol agents discovered several packages hidden inside the gas tank of the vehicle. Agents determined that the substance was consistent with the characteristics of methamphetamine.
The total weight of the methamphetamine discovered was 43.98 pounds, with an estimated value of $145,100.
The woman, a Mexican citizen, the methamphetamine and vehicle were turned over to the Imperial County Sheriffs' Office Border Crime Suppression Team.