U.S. Border Patrol agents at the I-5 Freeway checkpoint south of San Clemente Wednesday arrested two men who were transporting nearly $340,000 in narcotics.
At 8:45 a.m. agents stopped a tour van to question its occupants. One of the passengers in the van "displayed a nervous demeanor," according to a Border Patrol release.
Agents noticed a bulge in the 19-year-old U.S. citizen’s clothing and patted him down. The search led agents to discover multiple packages of meth taped around the man's waist. The methamphetamine weighed 2.54 pounds and had an estimated street value of $50,800, the release states.
Twelve hours later, at 8:45 p.m., agents stopped the driver of a 2013 Ford Taurus at the San Clemente checkpoint.
The 23-year-old Jamaican citizen driver also appeared nervous, the Border Patrol Release states. When agents brought in a drug dog, the animal indicated there were drugs in the rear of the vehicle.
"Agents searched the trunk and discovered four large trash bags containing marijuana," the release states. "The marijuana weighed 192.78 pounds and had an estimated street value of $289,170."
The Border Agents turned the drugs and smugglers over to the Drug Enforcement Administration. the release states.
