Meth hidden in vegetable cans seized at checkpoint

By Christopher Cadelago
Monday, September 13, 2010 at 4:23 p.m.

PINE VALLEY — A 42-year-old Los Angeles man was arrested over the weekend on suspicion of attempting to smuggle more than 10 pounds of crystal methamphetamine in vegetable cans through the Interstate 8 checkpoint, federal authorities said.

U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered the man, whose name was not immediately available, at the checkpoint about 1 a.m. Saturday. Agents grew suspicious when he began acting nervous, prompting them to direct his Ford Mustang to a secondary inspection area, the agency said.

Agents, along with a Border Patrol dog, searched the trunk of the Mustang and found grocery bags holding several cans of what appeared to be vegetables. Agents opened five of the cans and discovered sealed bottles of meth.

The meth had an estimated street value of $192,060.

The foiled attempt came a month after agents thwarted a marijuana smuggling attempt in which sealed vegetable cans were used at the San Clemente checkpoint.

christopher.cadelago@uniontrib.com • (619) 293-1334 • Twitter @ccadelago

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