Camp Pendleton, California - U.S. Border Patrol agents seized more than 66 pounds of methamphetamine from a traffic stop on Tuesday afternoon.

The incident began at 3 p.m. when USBP agents patrolling Interstate 5 stopped a driver in a gray Ford Escape.

Agents questioned the 28-year-old male U.S. citizen driver, and then deployed a service canine to conduct an exterior sniff of the vehicle.  The canine alerted to the rear of the vehicle.  Physically inspecting the SUV cargo area, agents discovered a large bin filled with plastic-wrapped bundles consistent with narcotics trafficking.

The man was placed under arrest and transported to a nearby USBP station for processing.  Agents probed one of the bundles, revealing a white, crystalline substance which was determined to be methamphetamine.  The bundles weighed approximately 66 pounds and have an estimated street value of $118,800.  The driver and narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation and prosecution.  The vehicle was seized by USBP.

The seizure follows another seizure on Monday when agents found 19 pounds of cocaine hidden in bundles in the backseat and dashboard of a Jeep Liberty. 

“As of October 1, 2020, San Diego Sector agents have seized more than 1,000 pounds of meth, and stopped this and other narcotics from entering our communities,” said Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke. “Border security saves American lives, plain and simple.”

To prevent the illicit smuggling of humans, drugs, and other contraband, the U.S. Border Patrol maintains a high level of vigilance on corridors of egress away from our Nation’s borders.  To report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol, contact San Diego Sector at (619) 498-9900.