Cocaine seizure at I-8 Pine Valley checkpoint

By Kristina Davis, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 4:22 p.m.

EAST COUNTY — Border Patrol agents seized 66 pounds of cocaine during a smuggling attempt at the Interstate 8 checkpoint in Pine Valley Wednesday, authorities said.

Agents made the discovery about 10:30 a.m. when they stopped a Chevrolet Malibu driven by a 38-year-old Mexican man. A drug dog sniffed the contraband, leading agents to find 26 tightly-wrapped bundles of cocaine hidden in compartments under the floorboards of the driver and passenger seats, the Border Patrol said.

The drugs were valued at about $644,000.

Both the driver and his 37-year-old female passenger, also a Mexican citizen, were arrested.

The incident marks the third large cocaine seizure at Border Patrol checkpoints in the past five days.

Last weekend, agents discovered 110 pounds of cocaine in two separate stops at the Interstate 5 checkpoint near San Clemente.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010 ... heckpoint/