Valued at $407,500
CALEXICO, Calif. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Calexico East port of entry Saturday seized 163 pounds of liquid methamphetamine, valued at more than $407,500.
“This interdiction removes a sizeable amount of methamphetamine from the streets of our communities and the reach of our youth,” said Area Port Director David Salazar. “The seizure of dangerous narcotics plays an important part in keeping our borders secure.”
Shortly after 5 p.m., on Oct. 13, a CBP officer encountered a 22-year-old man after he entered the port of entry driving a 2001 Ford Ranger. During the inspection, the officer detected inconsistencies with the traveler’s itinerary and referred both driver and vehicle for a more in-depth examination.
CBP officers used the port’s imaging system and a CBP narcotics detector dog to conduct an intensive inspection, which revealed anomalies. Officers later extracted 163 pounds of liquid methamphetamine concealed inside the gas tank. The estimated street value of the narcotics was $407,500.
of liquid meth.
The driver, a Mexican citizen and resident of Mexicali, Baja Mexico, was arrested for the alleged narcotic smuggling attempt. CBP officers turned him over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations agents for further processing. He was later transported to the Imperial County Jail to await arraignment.
CBP seized the vehicle and narcotics.
CBP officers at the border crossings in Southern California routinely stop illegal activity while processing millions of legitimate travelers into the United States. Those statistics can be found here: CBP-enforcement-statistics