El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents arrested a man attempting to smuggle methamphetamine through an immigration checkpoint on July 12.

The incident occurred at around 7:15 a.m. when a man driving a black 2009 Acura TSX aproached the Highway 86 checkpoint in Salton City.

The agent in primary inspection referred the vehicle to the secondary inspection area for further investigation.

During secondary inspection, a Border Patrol K-9 detection team alerted agents to the trunk of the vehicle and discovered two cardboard boxes along with a blue plastic container containing several vacuum-sealed bags of a white crystal-like substance.

The contents inside the packages tested positive for the characteristics of methamphetamine. Agents arrested the driver and held him for further processing.

The man, 62, was smuggling approximately 98.67 pounds of meth with an estimated street value of $271,342.

The man, his vehicle, and the narcotics were later turned over to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.