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SALTON CITY, Calif. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents arrested two undocumented individuals attempting to smuggle narcotics in to the interior of the United States, early Monday morning. 

At approximately 5:45 a.m., a 2006 grey Nissan Frontier approached the Highway 86 checkpoint. The agent inspecting vehicles in the primary lanes referred the vehicle to secondary inspection.

A Border Patrol K-9 detection team alerted to the vehicle. Agents inspected both the interior and exterior of the vehicle. An in-depth inspection of the interior of the vehicle led agents to discover six black packages wrapped in cellophane, a method consistent with narcotic smuggling, concealed within the dashboard and inside the factory ducts of the air conditioning/ventilation system. 

Four of the packages, filled with round blue pills, weighing approximately 4.2 kilograms tested positive for fentanyl with an estimated street value of $150,500. The other two packages contained a brown powdery substance that tested positive for heroin. The heroin weighed approximately 2.1 kilograms with an estimated street value of $38,700.

 “Cross-border trafficking of fentanyl kills thousands of American citizens each year, and I am proud of our Indio Agents for their efforts in countering those who are bringing harmful drugs into the United States”, said Chief Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino.  

The driver, a 53-year-old male, and passenger, a 27-year-old female, both Mexican nationals without the proper documentation to be present in the United States legally, were in placed under arrest and transported to Indio Border Patrol station. 

The driver and passenger face federal charges.

The driver, passenger, vehicle, and narcotics were turned over to the Drug and Enforcement Agency.   Please visit www.cbp.gov to view additional news releases and other information pertaining to Customs and Border Protection. For all news, information, and updates follow us on Twitter @CBPElCentro, @USBPChiefELC and Instagram.  

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the comprehensive management, control, and protection of our nation’s borders, combining customs, immigration, border security, and agricultural protection at and between official ports of entry.

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