$213K in drugs seized from semi truck axle on SR 86 in California

U.S. Border Patrol made a major drug bust at an immigration checkpoint in California this week.

Shortly before 11 a.m. on February 19, a yellow semi truck approached an immigration checkpoint located on State Route 86, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection news release.

The truck was referred for a secondary inspection.

After a canine unit alerted to the truck during an “open air sniff,” U.S. Border Patrol agents took a closer look.

Officers noticed “fresh tool marks on the axle head” during the inspection, leading them to uncover 14 plastic wrapped packages containing 7.5 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $198,500 and 8 pounds of methamphetamine worth an estimated $14,500.

The total estimated street value of the seized drugs is $213,000.

The truck driver was apprehended and the drugs were seized.

“This excellent apprehension came just in time for Valentine’s Day,” said El Centro Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gregory K. Bovino. “My heart is filled with warmth at both the thought that these dangerous drugs won’t make it to ma and pa America and the fact that a black-hearted drug smuggler hopefully is headed to prison.”