U.S. Border Patrol Seizes Cocaine Worth $300K

Westmoreland, Calif. – Wednesday, U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Indio station seized a substantial amount of cocaine at the Highway 86 Checkpoint.

At approximately 11:30 p.m., a grey Ford pickup truck approached the primary inspection area of the Highway 86 Border Patrol Checkpoint near Westmorland. A Border Patrol canine team alerted to the vehicle and agents referred the driver, a 32 -year-old male U.S. citizen, to secondary inspection for further examination. After a thorough search of the vehicle, agents discovered several concealed packages of cocaine located inside a non-factory compartment. The total weight of the cocaine was approximately 10 pounds and was valued at just over $300,000.

The driver, passenger, vehicle, and narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.