EL CENTRO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — It was a work day gone wrong for a cab driver after U.S. Border Patrol agents found high-dollar narcotics in their trunk and arrested one of their passengers.
According to a news release by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), El Centro agents encountered the ride-share, carrying four passengers, in the inspection area of an immigration checkpoint on Highway 86 around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
CBP said the vehicle was referred for further inspection and a K-9 unit alerted agents to the trunk area, where there were several bags. A K-9 then alerted to a particular backpack and speaker that belonged to a U.S. citizen, who claimed the property.
From there, agents further searched the speaker and backpack. CBP said several wrapped packages of pills were found concealed within the items. A sample was taken from one of the packages and tested positive for the presence of fentanyl.
The total weight of the narcotics was 9.7 pounds with an estimated street value of $130,000, border officials noted.
The U.S. citizen, whose name was not released, was arrested and turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration, along with the fentanyl pills. No one else in the vehicle was arrested.
CBP said the seizure is part of a joint regional operation known as Operation Apollo.
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