A savvy Border Patrol K-9 sniffed out a fortune in liquid methamphetamine hidden in a truck's gas tank at an immigration checkpoint in Indio, California, making a significant dent in the war against drug smuggling.
During a routine vehicle swipe on January 13th, a keen-nosed K-9 alerted authorities to something suspicious in the driver-side wheel well of a truck a subsequent inspection revealed anomalies in the vehicle's gas tank, and agents at the Highway 86 checkpoint became suspicious of the liquid contents. It tested positive for meth thus leading to a significant narcotics bust by the border authorities.
In a press release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, it was reported that the liquid drug totaled 166.8 pounds, with an estimated street value of approximately $250,000.
The discovery of the liquid meth prompted a hazmat team's intervention to carefully remove the haul from the vehicle, while the driver, a 39-year-old Mexican national, was taken into custody for the transportation of a controlled substance. He and the substance were turned over to the DEA for further prosecution, this marked another concerted effort by US border agents to curb the tide of illegal narcotics flowing into the country.
El Centro Sector Border Patrol is part of the Department of Homeland Security's unified border agency, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, tasked with managing and protecting America's borders through a combination of customs, immigration, border security, and agricultural protection.
