CBP Officers Discover Narcotics in Spare Tire

CALEXICO, Calif. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Downtown Calexico port of entry intercepted a methamphetamine smuggling attempt on Monday.

The incident occurred at about 11:40 p.m., when a CBP officer encountered a 32-year-old female U.S. citizen driving a silver 2004 Chevy Trailblazer.  During the inspection, the officer detected inconsistencies with the traveler’s itinerary and referred both driver and vehicle for a more in-depth examination.

During the intensive inspection, officers utilized the port’s imaging system and a canine team to search the vehicle.  Officers discovered 50 wrapped packages of methamphetamine concealed inside the spare tire of the vehicle.

The weight of the narcotics was 51 pounds with a street value of approximately $178,500.

The driver is a resident of Desert Hot Springs.  She was arrested for the alleged narcotic smuggling.  CBP officers turned her over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigation agents for further processing.  The woman was later transported to the Imperial Valley County Jail where she currently awaits arraignment.

CBP seized the narcotic and vehicle.

CBP officers at the border crossings in Southern California routinely stop illegal activity, while processing millions of legitimate travelers into the United States. Those statistics can be found on the CBP Enforcement Statistics webpage.