Salton City, California - Saturday, El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Indio Station arrested a suspected drug smuggler at the Highway 86 checkpoint after discovering twenty-four packages of methamphetamine hidden in an aftermarket compartment in the rear bumper.

The incident occurred at approximately 10:35 a.m., when Border Patrol agents encountered a 29-year-old male driver in a burgundy 2000 Jeep Cherokee at the checkpoint. 

Agents referred the driver to secondary inspection area for further examination.  During the investigation, a Border Patrol canine detection team alerted to the vehicle.  The agents searched the vehicle and subsequently discovered twenty-four packages of methamphetamine in the rear bumper.

The methamphetamine had a weight of 14.35 pounds with an estimated street value of more than $129,100.

The driver, a citizen of Mexico with valid B1/B2, the Jeep, and methamphetamine were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.