2 arrested on gun, cocaine charges at SoCal border checkpoint

From wire service reports
Posted: 06/15/2010 07:15:52 AM PDT

U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested two men at the San Clemente checkpoint on gun and cocaine charges, authorities said today.

The two suspects, whose names were not released, were arrested after they drove up to the Interstate 5 checkpoint in San Clemente in a Toyota Corolla about 3:20 a.m. Sunday, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials.

The 45-year-old driver from Los Angeles was inspected by agents after his passenger, a 44-year-old man from Mexico residing in the United States on a green card, failed to provide proper immigration documents, according to border patrol officials.

Agents found two 9 mm handguns, loaded magazines and a box of ammunition under the Corolla's passenger seat, according to border patrol authorities. The driver had a small amount of cocaine in his pockets, authorities said.

Both men had long criminal records and are restricted from possessing guns, according to border patrol officials. They were turned over to San Diego County sheriff's deputies.

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