Agents seize over $450,000 in meth at Highway Checkpoint

INDIO, Calif — El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents arrested a permanent resident card holder for attempting to smuggle methamphetamine through the U.S. Border Patrol’s Highway 86 checkpoint late Thursday evening.

At approximately 6:30 p.m., a red semi-truck and trailer approached the primary inspection area of the checkpoint. Agents’ suspicions were raised during the inspection K-9 alerted to the vehicle and the semi was sent to a secondary inspection area for further investigation.

During the secondary inspection, a ZBF-Backscatter was utilized to determine the contents of the trailer. The scan revealed several anomalies on top of pallets of soda. Agents discovered four boxes near the rear of the tractor-trailer, one box was opened and multiple vacuum sealed packages containing a crystalline substance were located. Agents tested the contents of the packages and confirmed the presence of methamphetamine.

The total weight of the methamphetamine was 250.22 pounds with an estimated street value of $450,396.

The driver, a 43-year-old permanent resident, along with the vehicle and narcotics were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for further processing and investigation.

This seizure is part of Operation Apollo. Operation Apollo is a joint regional operation comprised of federal, state, and local agencies working to combat the threat from fentanyl, and other illicit synthetic narcotics. More information about Operation Apollo can be found here.