$60,000 worth of meth hidden in child car seats is seized at California checkpoint
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Protection officers arrested a United States citizen who attempted to smuggle $60,000 worth of methamphetamine in child booster seats at a checkpoint in Murrieta, the agency said.
While conducting a vehicle stop north of the Newton Azrak Border Patrol Station on Interstate 15 on Wednesday, agents intercepted a car with two adults and their four children. After inspection, the unit’s K9 team alerted the agents of the presence of narcotics in the vehicle, the agency said.
Several packages containing a “white crystal substance†was found inside the three booster seats, and the substance then tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the agency. There was a total of 26.9 pounds of the substance found in the vehicle, equating to a total street value of $60,000, authorities said.
Overdoses claimed some 107,000 lives last year in the U.S. Public health advocates, researchers and activists want to help people find out what is in their drugs.
According to the agency, the driver of the vehicle was turned over to the Inland Crackdown Allied Taskforce for prosecution and the vehicle was seized by Border Patrol. The mother and four children were released.
“Our agents continue to work around the clock to protect our communities,†said Aaron M. Heitke, the chief patrol agent at the San Diego Sector Border Patrol office. “Drug smugglers will use any means necessary to get their poison onto our streets. Nothing is sacred to them, not even family.â€
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