Man Busted With $500K Of Cocaine In San Clemente: Border Patrol

SAN CLEMENTE, CA — A man was arrested in San Clemente on Thursday for smuggling more than $500,000 worth of cocaine while driving with his wife and infant son, the U.S. Border Patrol said.

Around 4:45 p.m. Thursday, Border Patrol agents patrolling on northbound Interstate 5 saw a 2012 Nissan Altima pass them driving at about 85 miles per hour, changing lanes erratically and passing other cars, the agency said.

The agents followed the car, which took an exit in San Clemente. The man kept driving erratically and cutting off other drivers, according to Border Patrol. The driver eventually pulled into a shopping center, where he left the car along with a woman and infant and started walking away quickly. Agents approached the couple and asked to search the car, authorities said.

Agents found a duffel bag in the trunk with 20 brick-shaped packages of cocaine, and another package of cocaine in a shopping bag near the infant's car seat, authorities said. They found 21 total bundles of cocaine, weighing 51.25 pounds with an estimated street value of $512,500.

While agents were questioning the man, his wife asked to use the restroom, and went into the shopping center with her baby. They failed to return, and agents later found them a quarter mile away, authorities. Authorities brought the three people to a nearby Border Patrol station.

The 34-year-old driver, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and turned over to the Orange County Drug Enforcement Administration office, along with the drugs. The mother and infant were released and the car was seized by Border Patrol.