Crime & Safety
Huge Load of Pot Intercepted at Checkpoint
The Border Patrol found more than 7,000 pounds of marijuana in a truck trying to pass the station south of Temecula.
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The Border Patrol intercepted more than $3.6 million worth of marijuana at the checkpoint south of Temecula.
A U.S. citizen was driving his white 2003 Freightliner tractor-trailer through checkpoint around 9:30 p.m. Monday when he aroused agents' suspicion.
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"During inspection, agents became suspicious of the manโs nervous demeanor and referred him for a secondary inspection," said Agent Scott Simon in an emailed announcement Tuesday. "A Border Patrol K-9 team performed a cursory inspection resulting in a positive alert to the trailer."
Officials searched the trailer and found 300 bundles of marijuana weighing a total of 7,328 pounds, which is worth about $3,664,085 on the street, Simon said.
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The smuggler, whose name was withheld by the Border Patrol, was turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the truck was confiscated by the Border Patrol.
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