CBP officers find meth inside spare tire wheel well

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested a man attempting to smuggle 46 packages of methamphetamine hidden inside the spare tire wheel well of a vehicle Thursday afternoon.

CBP officers encountered a 22-year-old man driving a black 2013 Ford Taurus while attempting to cross into the United States.

During an inspection, an officer ran the vehicle through the port’s imaging system and a canine team alerted to the trunk. Officers extracted 46 wrapped packages hidden in the spare tire wheel well and underneath the driver’s seat.

The substance within the packages tested positive for methamphetamine. The weight of the narcotics was 62 pounds with a street value of approximately $86,800.

“This is a great example of the effectiveness of our officers’ thorough inspections,” said Area Port Director David Salazar. “Being thorough is key for our officers and stops these dangerous drugs from entering our country and communities.”

The driver, a U.S. citizen, and resident of Imperial was arrested for the alleged narcotic smuggling attempt and turned over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigation agents for further processing.

The driver was later transported to the Imperial County Jail where he currently awaits arraignment.

CBP seized the narcotics and vehicle.