Border Patrol snags 16+ pounds of meth during weekend seizures

Drugs worth more than $30,0000

SALTON CITY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents took a substantial amount of methamphetamine out of circulation during a pair of weekend drug busts.

The first incident happened Saturday morning at the Highway 86 checkpoint. Agents say they noticed a man acting suspiciously while they inspected a bus. They say the man allowed them to pat him down, and that's when, they say, the found something strapped to his leg.

Agents say the man then admitted to having illegal drugs taped to his thigh. They say the package contained a little more than a pound of meth. It has an estimated street value of more than $2,500.

The 28-year-old U.S. citizen was arrested and turned over to the Border Crimes Suppression team.

Then, around 2:30 Sunday afternoon, a person flagged down agents near a campsite in Westmorland. The individual reported seeing a man in an off-road vehicle abandon a backpack and drive away as he saw the agent's marked patrol unit.

Border Patrol recovered the backpack, and took it to the Highway 86 checkpoint for processing. Agents say they found multiple packages of meth inside it.

The drugs weighed more than 15-pounds. Agents say they have a street value of more than $34,000

Border Patrol has not arrested the man seen abandoning the backpack.