Photo: Pine Valley checkpoint
PINE VALLEY – A contrabandist drug mule met her match when a K9 detection team performed a sniff of her truck at the border.
When she approached the Interstate 8 checkpoint on the morning of May 9th, answered a few questions, and was referred to secondary for a detailed inspection, that’s when the K9 Team’s alert brought on the federal enforcement action.
The 36-year-old U.S. citizen disappointedly stood by as the truck bed of the gold 1999 Ford F-250 was revealed as the prime discovery spot. A duffel bag and trash can were found stuffed full of plastic-wrapped packages of crystal methamphetamine – 74 in all.
The estimated street value of the 103.5 pounds of meth is $23,875.00. The smuggler and the narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for further investigation.
The pick-up truck was seized by the Border Patrol. CBP reports that the San Diego Sector has seized more than 2,245 pounds of methamphetamine since October 1, 2019. This accounts for nearly 26% of meth seized by Border Patrol along the southwest border.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the unified border agency within the Dept. of Homeland Security – charged with the management, control and protection of the nation’s borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the U.S.borders while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.
To prevent illicit smuggling of humans, drugs, and other contraband, the U.S. Border Patrol (the CBP’s federal law-enforcement arm) maintains a high level of vigilance on corridors of egress away from our Nation’s borders. You are urged to report suspicious activity to the USBP San Diego Sector at (619) 498-9900.
