$2.6M Seized at Checkpoint
Last updated 8/19/2019 at 2:25pm
Border Patrol agents assigned to the Highway 86 immigration checkpoint in Salton City confiscated over $2.6 million worth of narcotics in separate incidents.
The first incident occurred in the early morning of Aug. 4 at around 1:50 a.m.
A 54-year-old man and a 37-year-old woman approached the Highway 86 checkpoint in a gold Honda Accord. At secondary inspection, agents discovered hidden packages inside the car battery.
The packages contained substances consistent with the characteristics of fentanyl and heroin.
The total weight of the fentanyl discovered was 4.9 pounds, with an estimated value of $57,909. The total weight of the heroin discovered was 2.5 pounds, with an estimated value of $29,545.
Both passengers, who are United States citizens, along with the narcotics, and vehicle were turned over to the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office Border Crime Suppression Team.
The second incident occurred later that night at around 11 p.m. A 32-year-old man approached the checkpoint in a white Freightliner. After being waived to secondary inspection by a canine detection team, agents discovered several hidden packages inside the sleeper berth of the truck.
The packages tested positive for characteristics with methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine.
The total weight of the methamphetamine discovered was 391.810 pounds, with an estimated value of $1,016,600; heroin was 47.190 pounds, with an estimated value of $1,510,080; cocaine was 5.1 pounds, with an estimated value of $57,954.
The driver, who was identified as a Mexican citizen, the narcotics, and Freightliner were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
