Salton City, California - El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Indio Station arrested a suspected drug smuggler with 1.51 pounds of heroin strapped to his body.

Monday, at approximately 8:30 a.m., Border Patrol agents encountered a bus at the Highway 86 checkpoint and referred it to the secondary inspection area for an immigration check. 

Agents encountered a 23-year-old male U.S. citizen riding on the bus who was traveling alone.    Through questioning, agents discovered that the man was carrying a package of heroin strapped to his torso area.

The heroin had a weight of 1.51 pounds with an estimated street value of more than $18,000.

The man and seized drugs were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.