November 12, 09

NEWS / Border Patrol Arrests Suspected Cocaine Smugglers with 27 Pounds of Cocaine in Dash

Temecula, Calif. — Yesterday, a U.S. Border Patrol vehicle stop on Interstate 15 in Temecula resulted in the arrest of one woman for suspicion of cocaine smuggling.

Border Patrol agents were patrolling the interstate at 1:30 p.m., when they spotted the suspect traveling northbound in a Toyota Corolla. The agents stopped the vehicle near the Border Patrol checkpoint and conducted an immigration evaluation.

A Border Patrol K-9 team was called to the scene. An exterior search of the vehicle led to a positive alert. The agents then conducted a physical search of the vehicle and discovered 10 bundles of cocaine stashed inside the vehicle’s dashboard.

The cocaine had a total weight of 27 pounds and an estimated street value of $270,000. The woman, a 30-year-old U.S. citizen was placed under arrest. The narcotics were later turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The Border Patrol deploys coordinated enforcement operations along major routes of egress to prevent the smuggling of illicit narcotics into the country.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/11112009.xml