Feds Confiscate Nearly 450 Pounds of Marijuana at Checkpoint

From the U.S. Border Patrol:

Border Patrol agents at the Interstate 5 checkpoint recently intercepted two drug smuggling attempts and confiscated 447 pounds of marijuana. 

On July 14 at approximately 7 a.m., agents referred a 27-year-old U.S. male for secondary inspection. The man drove his 2007 GMC Yukon to secondary where a nearby K-9 alerted to the SUV.  

When questioned about three large boxes in the cargo area, the man claimed he was in the process of moving to the Los Angeles area. Agents opened the boxes and found 206.35 pounds of marijuana encapsulated in foam.  The marijuana was valued at $123,810.  

A few days prior, on the morning of July 11, agents referred at 28-year-old Mexican national female for secondary inspection after she attempted to bypass agents at the checkpoint. The woman claimed she was driving to Santa Ana to go shopping.  

A K-9 sniff of the woman’s 2000 Mercedes-Benz car resulted in an alert. A search of the vehicle revealed 91 packages of marijuana inside the trunk of the car. The marijuana weighed 240.97 pounds and was valued at $144,582.

The suspects in both incidents were arrested and turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for the possession of a controlled substance. The vehicles were seized by the U.S. Border Patrol. 

To prevent the illicit smuggling of humans, drugs, and other contraband, the U.S. Border Patrol maintains a high level of vigilance on corridors of egress away from our Nation’s borders.  To report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol, contact San Diego Sector at (619) 498-9900.