Almost 30 pounds of cocaine seized over weekend

Elizabeth Varin
Staff Writer
1:37 p.m. PDT, March 21, 2011

Almost $1 million in cocaine was seized at a checkpoint near Niland on Saturday night.

U.S. Border Patrol agents seized the $950,000 worth of cocaine after one of the canine teams alerted the agents to the vehicle, according to a press release from the El Centro sector office.

The grey Chevrolet Malibu pulled into the primary inspection area of the Highway 111 checkpoint near Niland about 11 p.m. Saturday, according to the press release. After the canine team alerted agents to the vehicle, driven by a 42-year-old woman with a valid permanent resident card, the agents found more than 29 pounds of cocaine packaged inside a non-factory compartment.

The driver, narcotics and vehicle were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration, according to the press release.

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