Calif CBP Officers Seize More Than $400K in Cocaine and Methamphetamine

Calexico, Calif. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Calexico downtown port of entry arrested a Mexican citizen after discovering 40 pounds of cocaine and four pounds of methamphetamine hidden in the vehicle he was driving.

The incident occurred yesterday at about 9:30 a.m., when a CBP officer conducting inspections of vehicles and travelers entering the U.S. referred the driver, a 25-year-old male, for further examination.

During an intensive examination on the brown Toyota Camry, a CBP officer discovered 15 wrapped packages of cocaine co-mingled with three wrapped packages of methamphetamine. The narcotics were concealed inside the roof of the vehicle with a combined street value of approximately $404,000.

The driver, a resident of Mexicali, Baja California, was turned over to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and transported to the Imperial County Jail where he currently awaits arraignment.

CBP placed an immigration hold on the Mexican citizen to initiate removal from the U.S. at the conclusion of his criminal proceeding.

CBP seized both the vehicle and narcotics.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.