PINE VALLEY, Calif.—A checkpoint inspection on Monday by U.S. Border Patrol agents led to the arrest of a 41-year-old Mexican national man who was traveling with a child and had bundles of meth inside his car’s gas tank.
At approximately 1:45 p.m., agents at the Interstate 8 checkpoint near Pine Valley referred a man in a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze for a secondary inspection. Once in secondary, a nearby K-9 alerted to the rear carriage of the sedan. Putting the vehicle on a lift, agents discovered 38 plastic baggies filled with crystal meth inside the vehicle’s gas tank.
The bundles of methamphetamine weighed 44.31 pounds and were valued at approximately $102,000.
meth hidden inside a car’s gas tank.
The man was arrested for narcotics smuggling and turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration along with the narcotics. The man’s 11-year-old son was cared for until the arrival of a family member. The vehicle was seized by the U.S. Border Patrol.
Since October 1, 2018, San Diego Sector agents have seized more than 2,632 pounds of methamphetamine and 1,395 pounds of other dangerous drugs.
To prevent the illicit smuggling of humans, drugs, and other contraband, the U.S. Border Patrol maintains a high level of vigilance on corridors of egress away from our Nation’s borders. To report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol, contact San Diego Sector at (619) 498-9900.