Border Patrol Nabs Narcotics Smorgasbord at San Clemente Checkpoint

U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested three men accused of trying to smuggle a smorgasbord of narcotics in two separate incidents at the San Clemente checkpoint Monday.

The first incident occurred just after 8 a.m. when the driver of a 1993 Toyota Camry pulled up to the checkpoint.

A Border Patrol K-9 honed in on a spare tire found inside the trunk of the vehicle, according to U.S. Border Patrol spokeswoman Mary Beth Caston.

“Agents inspected the tire and discovered multiple bundles of narcotics,” she said in a written release. “The bundles contained approximately 10,000 doses of MDMA (i.e. ecstasy), 9.35 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 18.92 pounds of cocaine, and more than 77 ounces of brown heroin. The combined estimated street value of the narcotics was $652,700.”

It wasn’t long until another alleged smuggler pulled into the checkpoint. At 1:30 p.m., the driver of a 1999 Nissan Pathfinder, a 40-year-old resident of Mexico, gave consent for a vehicle inspection following a K-9 alert. Agents found 10.47 pounds or $104,700-worth of crystal methamphetamine hidden inside the SUV’s roof-rack bar.

According to the Border Patrol, the San Diego Sector intercepted 2,764 ounces of heroin, 2,266 pounds of methamphetamine, and 895 pounds of cocaine last year. To report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol, contact San Diego Sector at (619) 498-9900.