CBP officers discover mixed meth, heroin load at Calexico port of entry
By SDCN Editor
Calexico, CA–U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Calexico West port of entry found 223 packages of heroin and methamphetamine concealed in a pick-up truck driven by an American citizen.
On Sept. 10, officers encountered a 35-year-old man driving the truck. At the time of the encounter, the driver was applying for entry into the United States from Mexico. An officer performing the primary inspection referred the driver for further examination at the secondary inspection area.
Officers observed anomalies and irregularities during an X-ray examination of the vehicle. A CBP canine enforcement team responded to the scene and alerted to the presence of narcotics.
Officers discovered and extracted the packages from the rear passenger door, spare tire, and gas tank area of the pick-up truck. The narcotics were field tested as methamphetamine with a total weight of 126.06 pounds and heroin with a weight of 7.84 pounds. The estimated street value of the narcotics is $410,553.
“Our CBP officers continue to combat and degrade transnational criminal organizations through their successful enforcement efforts,” stated Roque Caza, CBP Area Port Director for Calexico. “I commend our officers for their outstanding work and their meritorious contribution in keeping these harmful drugs away from our communities.”
The driver was detained and turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for further processing. CBP officers seized the vehicle and narcotics.
