Salton City, California - El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Highway 86 checkpoint, arrested a man suspected of smuggling almost a half million dollars of narcotics inside his truck Saturday morning.

The incident occurred at approximately 11:25 a.m., when a 34-year-old man approached the checkpoint in a Honda pick-up truck. At primary inspection, a Border Patrol canine detection team alerted to the bed of the pick-up.

Agents referred the man to secondary inspection for a closer inspection of his vehicle.

Upon further inspection, Border Patrol agents found five packages stuffed inside a secret compartment between the truck’s cab and bed. Agents tested the contents of the packages and indicated a positive for characteristics of heroin and cocaine.

The total weight of the heroin was 16.2 pounds with an estimated street value of $226,800. The weight of the cocaine totaled 20 pounds with an estimated street value of $260,000.

Agents identified the man as a Mexican citizen. Agents turned him, the vehicle, and narcotics over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.