SALTON CITY, Calif. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents working at the Highway 86 immigration checkpoint arrested a man suspected of smuggling narcotics Tuesday afternoon.
The incident occurred at approximately 12:15 p.m., when a 35-year-old man driving a silver Volvo V50 approached the checkpoint. A Border Patrol K-9 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 concealed within the spare tire of the vehicle. Agents determined that the packages contained a substance that was consistent with the characteristics of methamphetamine.
The total weight of the narcotics discovered was 21.84 pounds of methamphetamine with an estimated value of $41,500.
The man, a Lawfully Admitted Permanent Resident, the narcotics and vehicle were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).