SALTON CITY, Calif. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents arrested two United States citizens attempting to smuggle close to $175,693 worth of narcotics through an immigration checkpoint, Monday evening.
At approximately 9:20 p.m., a 2017 white Kia Forte 5 approached the Highway 86 checkpoint. The agent inspecting vehicles in the primary lanes referred the vehicle to secondary inspection.
A Border Patrol K-9 detection team alerted agents to the rear of the vehicle. Agents inspected the trunk of the vehicle and discovered multiple boxes of contraband. The contents of the boxes contained pills that tested positive for fentanyl and a white crystal substance that tested positive for methamphetamine.
The driver and passenger both 19-year-old females, were in possession of 7.8 pounds of fentanyl with an estimated street value at $115,375, and 39.5 pounds of methamphetamine with an estimated street value at $60,318.
The subjects, vehicle, and narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.