Murrieta Border Agents Find Meth, Heroin In Baby Car Seat: CBP

MURRIETA, CA — A woman was arrested in a recent traffic stop along Interstate 15 after law enforcement officials found she'd been transporting nearly two dozen packages of narcotics — many of them hidden inside an occupied child's car seat, officials with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Wednesday.

It happened on June 12 around 6:15 p.m. in the Temecula Valley area, according to U.S. Border Patrol Spokesman Theron Francisco.

The woman, who was not immediately publicly identified, was riding in a 2015 Nissan Sentra that was being driven by a 26-year-old man, Francisco said. Both are U.S. citizens.

Another woman and three kids were also in the car when Border Patrol agents conducted their stop.

"Agents questioned all occupants and conducted an exterior examination of the vehicle utilizing a Border Patrol K-9, resulting in an alert," Francisco said. "Searching further, agents located several packages of narcotics wrapped in cellophane and hidden inside one of the children’s car seat and stroller."

Francisco said that a child was sitting in the seat when the drugs were found.

In total, agents found 23 packages containing meth, cocaine, and heroin, according to Francisco. There were 32.1 pounds of meth, 2.31 pounds of cocaine and 4.55 pounds of heroin. The estimated street value of the seizure is $101,680.

The stash was ultimately linked to just one of the women.

"During questioning, agents determined that the drugs had been concealed by one of the female passengers, a 26-year-old U.S. citizen," Francisco said. "The woman was arrested and turned over to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office for further investigation."

The driver and the Sentra were released at the scene, while the three children were released to the custody of the other passenger, their 32-year-old aunt, according to Francisco.