Border Patrol stops semi-truck holding more than 1.5 tons of marijuana

El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents from the Indio Border Patrol Station assigned to the Highway 86 checkpoint arrested a man suspected of smuggling marijuana on Friday.

The incident occurred at approximately 12:15 a.m., when a 2006 white semi-truck approached the checkpoint.

A Border Patrol detection canine alerted to the semi-truck during a pre-primary inspection. Agents referred the man to secondary inspection area for a closer examination. After an extensive search, agents discovered several pallets loaded with 38 cardboard boxes containing 150 packages wrapped in cellophane. The contents of the packages tested positive for the characteristics of marijuana.

“This was a fairly large seizure and our agents did an outstanding job of interdicting it,” said Assistant Chief Patrol Agent David S. Kim. “Criminal networks should be afraid to conduct their activities at our border or at our checkpoints. In addition to our tried and true methods of interdiction, we continue to strengthen our ability to dismantle criminal enterprises.”

The 150 bundles in the semi-truck had a combined weight of 3,575 pounds with an estimated street value of $1,716,000.

The man, a Mexican national, the semi-truck, and narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.

In fiscal year 2017, El Centro Sector has seized more than 5,354 pounds of marijuana.