(PatriotPostNews.com) – A Mexican national has been arrested after attempting to smuggle several bags packed with more than 150 pounds of drugs into California.
On February 12, agents with the El Centro Sector Border Patrol pulled over a sedan during patrol. The stop occurred around five in the morning near the desert region of Indio, California. Following a request from the K-9 unit to search the car—and subsequent refusal by the driver—the officers conducted an exterior investigation and insisted on searching the interior after the dogs detected a scent.
The federal Border Patrol unit at hand had been trained to uncover both human beings and drugs that are hidden in vehicles.
Five duffel bags were uncovered in the vehicle, filled with cellophane-wrapped packages that typically point to the transportation of narcotics. The contents were confiscated and tested, resulting in the positive identification of methamphetamine. There were 154 pounds of the drug in the bags, which equates to an estimated monetary street value of $278,000.
The driver was then identified as a national from Mexico who carried a border crossing card (BCC). This card is issued specifically for Mexican citizens, allowing them to enter the United States for a temporary period of up to 30 days. It also requires that the cardholder only stay within a designated area, typically without straying farther than 25 miles from the American-Mexican border. The BCC does not serve as a work authorization.
The agents who made the bust were working within a task force called Operation Apollo, which is a collaboration among state, local, and federal agencies to seize illegal activity involving fentanyl and other narcotics.
Following the bust, the Mexican national was arrested and had his border crossing benefits revoked, according to officials. All retrieved narcotics, as well as the vehicle carrying them, were given to the authority of the Drug Enforcement Agency, a federal program under the United States Department of Justice.
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