$1 Million Meth Busts Made By U.S. Border Patrol

Big hauls of methamphetamine with an estimated worth of $1,183,800 was seized by U.S. Border Patrol agents this week, and the biggest bust was made near the Interstate 15 checkpoint. 

On Tuesday around 12:30 p.m., agents patrolling that local checkpoint stopped a 26-year-old male Mexican national driving a black 2006 Dodge Charger. 

“Agents became suspicious of the driver’s nervous demeanor and requested and received permission to search the vehicle,” a U.S. Border Patrol news release stated. “A subsequent search of the trunk revealed four car batteries containing 16 bundles of methamphetamine. The methamphetamine weighed 49.93 pounds and had an estimated street value of $998,600.”

Also around noon Tuesday, agents spied two 20-year-old male U.S. citizens parked near the Interstate 5 checkpoint in San Clemente. One driver was in a gold 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer and the second driver was in a green 1997 Honda Civic. 

The men became nervous when agents approached, so a subsequent search was conducted on the vehicles, according to the news release.

“A Border Patrol K-9 performed a cursory inspection of the vehicles resulting in an alert to each vehicle. Agents subsequently located a fire extinguisher filled with methamphetamine in the trunk of each car. The methamphetamine seized weighed 6.17 pounds and had an estimated street value of $123,400,” the news release stated.

The third bust occurred June 4 shortly after 1 p.m. when agents at the Interstate 5 checkpoint spotted a 51-year-old male U.S. citizen driving a silver 2005 Dodge Magnum.

A Border Patrol K-9 alerted agents to a problem and a search was conducted. Two bundles of methamphetamine were found under the rear seat, according to the news release. The illicit narcotic weighed 3.09 pounds and had an estimated street value of $61,800, agents reported.

All the suspected smugglers and drugs were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration; the vehicles used in the three smuggling attempts were seized by the U.S. Border Patrol, according to the news release.