Agents Find $470k Worth of Meth Hidden in Bumper

Suspect was on supervised release for felony narcotics conviction

U.S. Border Patrol agents seized nearly $500,000 worth of methamphetamine after thwarting a smuggling attempt made by a woman at the Interstate 8 checkpoint near Pine Valley, on Thursday morning.

The suspect, 38, pulled up to the U.S. checkpoint at around 11:30 a.m. in a dark blue 2000 Volkswagen Jetta, officials said in a media release.

Agents assigned to the checkpoint noticed the woman’s “nervous demeanor” and ordered a secondary inspection of the vehicle, officials said.

A K-9 team brought over to search the vehicle alerted authorities to the car’s rear bumper. Once agents inspected the bumper they reportedly discovered a non-factory compartment inside of it.

Inside the compartment agents discovered 30 bundles of methamphetamine, weighing 23.5 pounds and worth an estimated $470,000, officials said.

At the time of her arrest the suspect was on supervised release for a prior felony narcotics conviction, officials said.

After taking her into to custody the woman and the drugs were turned over to a drug task force and the vehicle was seized by Border Patrol agents.

Since October of 2010 officials report that agents have seized more than 66,350 pounds of marijuana, 1,729 pounds of cocaine, and 393 pounds of methamphetamine.

 

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