Over 20 Pounds Of Fentanyl, 3 Pounds Of Heroin Found In Car At Border

SAN DIEGO, CA — Federal officers seized more than 20 pounds of fentanyl and three pounds of heroin hidden inside a car at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, officials said.

The drugs were discovered March 10 after officers sent a 26-year-old Mexican man driving a 2017 Nissan Sentra to a secondary inspection when he tried to enter the country, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Imaging technology detected irregularities in the vehicle's doors, and a canine unit alerted officers to the presence of narcotics, authorities said. Officers found 10 packages concealed in the doors containing about 20.6 pounds of fentanyl powder and 3.1 pounds of heroin.

Officials said the fentanyl was enough to kill nearly 7 million people, while the heroin had an estimated street value of nearly $310,000.

Officers seized the drugs, the vehicle, a GPS tracker and a cellphone. The driver was taken into custody and faces federal charges related to narcotics importation and smuggling.