SAN DIEGO — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the San Ysidro port of entry Wednesday arrested a 63-year-old man after finding almost 30 pounds of methamphetamine hidden under the carpet in the backseat of the minivan he was driving.
At about 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 9, the man arrived at the border crossing driving a silver 2003 Dodge Caravan with California license plates, and applied for entry into the U.S. The CBP officer noted that the man appeared nervous, and referred him and the vehicle aside for additional inspection.
After finding possible signs of tampering in the rear seating area of the vehicle, CBP officers lifted the carpet and found seven vacuum-sealed packages concealed underneath.
The packages contained about 28.7 pounds of methamphetamine, with an estimated street value of about $290,000.
CBP officers seized the vehicle and narcotics. The man, a Mexican citizen and legal permanent resident of the U.S., was booked into the San Diego County Jail.
“CBP officers need to remain vigilant during their inspections, and this officer did a great job of noticing that something was not right in this case,” said Sidney Aki, Port Director for the San Ysidro port of entry.”
