SALTON CITY, Calif. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Highway 86 checkpoint, arrested a woman suspected of smuggling methamphetamine inside a SUV engine compartment Saturday morning.
![Agents find alomost 50 lbs. of meth inside modified structure in engine compartment.](/sites/default/files/u406/2-5-18%20ELC%20Meth.jpg)
meth inside modified structure
in engine compartment.
The incident occurred at approximately 11:50 a.m., when a 38-year-old woman approached the Highway 86 checkpoint in a 2007 Saturn Outlook. During primary inspection, a Border Patrol canine detection team alerted to the vehicle. Agents referred the woman to secondary for further investigation.
Border Patrol agents conducted a thorough search of the vehicle, which revealed 40 packages stuffed inside a modified structure near the front of the engine compartment. Agents tested the contents of the packages, which indicated positive for characteristics of methamphetamine.
The total weight of the methamphetamine was 48.59 pounds with an estimated street value of $160,347.
The woman, a United States citizen, the vehicle and narcotics were turned-over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.
In fiscal year 2018, El Centro Sector has seized more than 314.10 pounds of methamphetamine.