CBP Officers At Southern California Port Seize 52 Pounds Of Cocaine From Vehicle

Calexico, CA— U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Calexico downtown port of entry seized 52 pounds of cocaine yesterday that involved a 20-year-old male U.S citizen from Mexicali, Baja California.The seizure occurred at about 12:50 a.m. on Tuesday, October 18, when a CBP officer conducting inspections of vehicles and travelers referred the 20-year-old male for further examination after detecting anomalies to the trunk area of the vehicle he was driving.During the intensive examination, a canine team screened the green 1999 Mazda Sedan and the detector dog alerted to the rear area of the vehicle. Officers subsequently discovered 20 wrapped packages of cocaine concealed inside the gas tank. The narcotic has a street value of approximately $468,000.The driver was arrested for the alleged narcotic smuggling attempt and turned over to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who in turn transported the individual to the Imperial County Jail where he currently awaits arraignment.