San Diego - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Otay Mesa port of entry yesterday arrested a SENTRI participant after officers discovered 74 pounds of marijuana in the vehicle he was driving.
At about 10:30 a.m., the 41-year-old male Tijuana resident entered the port through a designated SENTRI lane, driving a 2004 Dodge Durango, and was referred for a more in-depth inspection.
During the inspection of the vehicle, officers screened the Durango with a detector dog that alerted to the gas tank area of the vehicle. After the gas tank was removed, officers extracted 28 wrapped packages of marijuana, valued at $44,400.
The driver, a citizen of Mexico, was transported to the San Diego County Jail to await arraignment. CBP seized the vehicle and marijuana, and cancelled his SENTRI privileges.