San Diego Border Patrol snags $2.1 million of crystal meth

August 3rd 2012 · 8 Comments

San Diego Border Patrol agents seized more than 105 pounds of crystal methamphetamine worth approximately $2.1 million at two area checkpoints.

The first bust happened at the I-5 Border Patrol checkpoint where a 37-year-old male United States citizen was sent to the secondary inspection area after he displayed a nervous demeanor.

“A Border Patrol K-9 team performed a cursory inspection of the vehicle resulting in an alert,” according to Scott Simon of the SD Border Patrol. “Agents searched the vehicle and discovered a five gallon plastic water bottle containing a greenish liquid. The fluid in the bottle tested positive for liquid methamphetamine and weighed a total of 47.62 pounds with an estimated street value of $952,400.”

Once the narcotics were discovered, the suspect as well as the narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

The second incident occurred near the San Ysidro Port of Entry/Tijuana. Agents with a Border Patrol K-9 dog alerted authorities that a Suzuki XL7 parked near the international border crossing contained illegal substances. “Agents searched the unattended vehicle and discovered 28 packages of methamphetamine concealed in the rear quarter panels,” Agent Simon said. “The meth weighed 57.85 pounds and had an estimated street value of $1.2 million.”

In both incidents the narcotics were confiscated and handed over to the DEA and the Border Patrol seized both vehicles.

A version of this column originally appeared in www.examiner.com.