The U.S. Border Patrol is reporting it foiled a meth smuggler this week near its checkpoint in Temecula.
Agents stopped a 30-year-old male Mexican national driving a 2000 Acura TL at around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday near the checkpoint, according to U.S. Border Patrol Agent Jerry Conlin,
Agents became suspicious and called in an Orange County Sheriff’s Department K-9 team for assistance, Conlin explained.
“The K-9 alerted to the trunk of the vehicle. Agents searched the trunk and discovered 10 bundles of crystal methamphetamine and two bundles of heroin hidden inside the spare tire. The crystal methamphetamine weighed 10.80 pounds and the heroin weighed 3.86 pounds. The illicit narcotics had an estimated street value of $208,320,” Conlin said.
The suspected smuggler and narcotics were taken into custody and subsequently turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation; the vehicle was seized by the U.S. Border Patrol, Conlin said.
The identity of the suspected smuggler was not released by the U.S. Border Patrol.
