SALTON CITY – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents working at the Highway 86 immigration checkpoint arrested a teenager in possession of a loaded firearm suspected of smuggling narcotics Thursday night.
The incident occurred at approximately 7:28 p.m., when an 18-year-old male driving a white Volkswagen approached the checkpoint. At primary inspection, a Border Patrol canine detection team alerted to the vehicle. Agents sent the vehicle to secondary inspection for further investigation.
While in secondary inspection, Border Patrol agents discovered a package hidden on his person. Additionally, a loaded .38 Special revolver handgun was recovered from the vehicle. Agents determined that the package contained a substance that was consistent with the characteristics of fentanyl.
The total weight of the narcotics discovered was more than three-quarters of a pound of fentanyl with an estimated value of $24,096.
The teenager, a
United States citizen, the narcotics, handgun and vehicle were turned over to
the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint seizes loaded .38 Special handgun and more than three-quarters of a pound of fentanyl with an estimated value of $24,096.
-CBP-
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation’s borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
This story is featured in the Jan 9, 2020 e-Edition.
