SALTON CITY, Calif. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Highway 86 checkpoint arrested a woman suspected of smuggling box inside a speaker box Thursday.
The incident occurred at approximately 5:30 p.m., after a 21-year-old woman, who is a United States citizen, approached the checkpoint in a black 2006 Nissan 350Z.
inside a speaker box.
A Border Patrol detection canine alerted to the vehicle during primary inspection. Agents referred the woman to the secondary inspection area for a closer examination.
After an intensive search, agents discovered 32 packages hidden inside of an aftermarket speaker box behind the driver’s seat of the vehicle.
Upon testing the packages, agents determined that 25 contained methamphetamine, four contained heroin and three contained cocaine.
“The narcotics that were seized today are the kind that have been devastating the most vulnerable members of our communities and our nation. Our agents’ work on this arrest and seizure is another example of their commitment to identifying and mitigating threats to the safety, security, and well-being of our community,” said David S. Kim, Assistant Chief Patrol Agent.
The 27.8 pounds of methamphetamine, 10.07 pounds of heroin and 7.53 pounds of cocaine have a value of $302,260.
The woman, the vehicle, and narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.
This is the first narcotics seizure of fiscal year 2017 for the El Centro Sector.