PINE VALLEY, Calif. — U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Campo Station intercepted 198 pounds of methamphetamine in a smuggling attempt Sunday night.
At approximately 8:51 p.m., agents pulled over a truck traveling westbound on Interstate 8 at the Campo Border Patrol Checkpoint. After a brief interview with the driver, agents requested a Border Patrol K-9 unit to assist with the inspection. The inspection resulted in a positive alert by the K-9 for the possible presence of narcotics inside the truck.
At the checkpoint, agents searched the vehicle and discovered packages in an aftermarket compartment within the bed of the truck, consistent with smuggled narcotics. Agents removed 35 foil-wrapped packages that later tested positive for methamphetamine. The total weight of the meth was 198.33 pounds, with an estimated street value of approximately $436,300.
The driver and the narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for federal prosecution, and the truck was seized by Border Patrol.
“The U.S. Border Patrol is a 24/7 law enforcement agency focused on protecting our homeland,” said San Diego Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Jeffrey D. Stalnaker. “The actions that Border Patrol agents take to keep these deadly drugs off our streets save lives throughout the U.S.”
This fiscal year, agents in San Diego Sector have seized 906 pounds of cocaine, 345 pounds of methamphetamine, 19 pounds of heroin, and 157 pounds of fentanyl.
To prevent the illicit smuggling of humans, drugs, and other contraband, the U.S. Border Patrol maintains a high level of vigilance along corridors of egress away from our Nation’s borders. To report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol, contact 911 or San Diego Sector at (619) 498-9900.
