$76K Worth Of Meth Found In Car's Wheel Well

SALTON CITY, CA – A woman was arrested recently after allegedly smuggling drugs inside a car's wheel well, the U.S. Border Patrol said. The incident happened around 1 p.m. last Friday when a blue Ford Mustang approached the primary inspection area of the Highway 86 Checkpoint, officials said.

At primary inspection, a Border Patrol canine detection team alerted to the vehicle passenger side wheel well. An agent referred the driver to secondary for further immigration inspection. After a thorough search of the vehicle, agents discovered 22 wrapped bundles hidden in a false compartment inside the vehicle’s wheel well, officials said.

The packages, which weighed about 23.3 pounds, were tested and proved positive for the characteristics of methamphetamine. Officials estimate the value to be $76,890.

The woman, later identified as a U.S. citizen, was transported to the station for further processing. The subject, vehicle, and narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.

In fiscal year 2018, El Centro Sector has seized more than 507.21 pounds of methamphetamine.

--Photo via U.S. Border Patrol