C.B.P. News Release

Border Patrol Intercepts Cocaine Stash at I-5 Rest Area
(Thursday, October 08, 2009)

San Clemente, Calif. — Thirty-six pounds of cocaine was seized by U.S. Border Patrol agents yesterday evening at a rest area on Interstate 5 in San Clemente.

At about 5 p.m., agents on patrol spotted a suspicious Ford Crown Victoria traveling northbound on the interstate. The agents followed the vehicle into the rest area and encountered the driver, a 22-year-old male Mexican national. During an interview, the agents discovered that the driver was traveling in the country illegally.

A Border Patrol K-9 team soon arrived to the scene conducted a cursory inspection. The inspection produced an alerted on the sedan. The agents then conducted a physical search of the vehicle and discovered 13 bundles of cocaine hidden inside the door panels.

The cocaine had a total weight of 36.08 pounds with an estimated street value of $360,000.

The suspected smuggler and illicit narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The U.S. Border Patrol maintains a defense-in-depth enforcement approach to prevent the smuggling of humans, drugs and other contraband into our country.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Contacts For This News Release
San Diego Sector
CBP Public Affairs
Phone: (619) 216-4182 Ext: 114 or
(619) 652-9966 Ext: 192 (Spanish)

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/new ... 2009_4.xml