Border Patrol Nabs Alleged Liquid Meth Smuggler

A suspected drug smuggler was taken into custody Wednesday at the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint on Interstate 15, south of Temecula, when agents allegedly found a large quantity of liquid methamphetamine hidden in his car.

Agents stopped the suspect, a 35-year-old male Mexican national, at about 1:45 p.m. Wednesday as he approached the checkpoint in a red 2008 Ford Fiesta, according to U.S. Border Patrol Agent Scott E. Simon.

"Agents became suspicious of the man’s nervous demeanor and referred him for a secondary inspection," said Simon, in a news release.

Border Patrol K9 team performed a cursory inspection of the Ford, resulting in an alert, he said.

Agents searched the car and discovered a large freezer bag inside of the gas tank containing a yellowish liquid, he said.

"The fluid in the bag tested positive for liquid methamphetamine and weighed a total of 8.38 pounds with an estimated street value of $167,600," Simon said.

The suspected smuggler and narcotics were taken into custody and turned over to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department for further investigation, he said.

The car was seized by the U.S. Border Patrol.