Border Patrol takes $1 million in drugs off the streets

San Diego Border Patrol took more than one million in illegal drugs off the streets. The two thwarted drug smuggling attempts netted methamphetamine (Crystal Meth) and cocaine with a street value of $1,093,000. Border Patrol spotted a suspicious Black GMC Envoy driving along Interstate 8 just east of San Diego near the Pine Valley checkpoint. Once the SUV stopped agents approached and questioned the female driver. Agents said, the U.S. citizen was clearly nervous and they called in the K-9 team to inspect the SUV for illicit drugs. The K-9 team alerted agents to a positive scent and brought the vehicle to the checkpoint for a thorough inspection. “Agents brought the vehicle to the Border Patrol checkpoint near Pine Valley and utilized non-intrusive inspection technology which detected anomalies in the front and rear bumpers,” According to Ralph DeSio, public relations specialist for Border Patrol. “Upon further inspection Border Patrol agents removed a total of 23 bundles of narcotics from the bumpers. Nineteen of those bundles held 30.8 pounds of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $617,000. The four remaining bundles held 11.2 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of $112,000.” A short time later, agents near the San Clemente checkpoint observed a suspicious Toyota Solara with smoke emitting from the car’s engine and approached the driver. “After questioning the driver, he consented to a Border Patrol K-9 team cursory inspection of the vehicle," DeSio said. “This inspection resulted in a positive alert to the rear quarter panel area of the vehicle. Upon further examination agents discovered an aftermarket compartment in the quarter panels that concealed 15 bundles of methamphetamine. The total weight of the methamphetamine was 18.2 pounds with an estimated street value of $364,000.” The suspected smugglers and illegal narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for further investigation. The U.S. Border Patrol seized both the vehicles. To report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol, contact San Diego Sector at (619) 498-9900. For more stories: http://www.examiner.com/homeland-security-in-national/kimberly-dvorak © Copyright 2012 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.