San Diego

El Centro Border Patrol Makes 2 Narcotic Arrests in Under an Hour

Border Patrol agents in El Centro made two separate narcotic arrests in under an hour Friday morning.

The incidents both occurred off a Highway 86 checkpoint around 9 a.m., according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The first incident occurred at 9:15 a.m., when a 21-year-old woman being transported on a Crusero/International California bus approached the checkpoint. The bus was directed to a secondary inspection, and a canine team alerted agents to the seat containing the woman.

The woman was inspected and found to have narcotics strapped to her abdomen, according to CBP.

The substance was determined to be heroin, with a weight of 2.52 pounds. The estimated street value is $27,720.

The woman was a U.S. citizen. She and the narcotics are being detained by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for investigation.

Approximately 30 minutes later, at 9:45 a.m., a 25-year-old man driving a red mini cooper was detained at the checkpoint.

After a secondary inspection, a canine team alerted agents to the vehicle’s back seat. Agents discovered 17 bundles of methamphetamine in the car’s gas tank, according to BP.

The methamphetamine weighed 19.18 pounds, which has an estimated street value of $67,130, according to BP.

The man was also a U.S. citizen, and he and the drugs were turned over to the DEA for investigation.

As of August 31, the El Centro BP Sector has seized 1,880 pounds of methamphetamine and 140 pounds of heroin, according to a statement.

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