Border Agents Make Big Drug Busts

U.S. Border Patrol agents at the Interstate 15 checkpoint near Temecula on Thursday arrested a 34-year-old woman from Mexico who allegedly tried to smuggle in 12 bundles of cocaine, officials said.

A police dog sniffed out a silver 2008 Ford Fusion in which there was a hidden compartment beneath the center console, according to officials.

Agents found 38.91 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated value of $389,100, according to information officer Simon Scott.

The suspect was taken into custody and the drugs seized, officials said.

About 8:45 a.m. Wednesday, agents at the I-15 checkpoint stopped a 28-year-old man from Mexico allegedly trying to smuggle through $421,100 of cocaine, officials said.

Agents who stopped the man driving a silver 2007 Volkswagen Jetta at the checkpoint noticed he seemed nervous and referred him to a secondary inspection.

At secondary inspection, dogs are directed to sniff for drugs and agents search the vehicles in an area away from the line of vehicles passing through the checkpoint.

On this occasion, a dog alerted the agents to the presence of contraband in the undercarriage and the agents found a hidden compartment beneath the floorboard, which held 14 bundles of cocaine.

The drugs weighed 42.11 pounds, officials said.

Also this week, at about 12:40 p.m. Oct. 1, agents in Pine Valley on Interstate 8 arrested a 42-year-old Mexican man for allegedly trying to smuggle 81.68 pounds of marijuana.

The drugs were found in the tires of a truck and a 1998 Ford Windstar being towed by the truck.

The suspected smuggler and drugs were turned over to the San Diego Sheriff’s Department.