REGION: Busts yield seizures of $2.28 million in illicit drugs

By TERI FIGUEROA tfigueroa@nctimes.com |
September 26, 2011 3:44 pm

SAN CLEMENTE ---- Federal agents seized about $1 million worth of methamphetamine during a bust Thursday at the San Clemente border station checkpoint, part of a four-day series of arrests that saw U.S. Border Patrol agents seize nearly $2.28 million of illicit drugs in the county.

On Thursday, the agents arrested a 22-year-old U.S. citizen and a 45-year-old Mexican citizen at the San Clemente site as the two reportedly attempted to smuggle 16 bundles of methamphetamine inside of a spare tire, Agent Scott Simon said in a news release.

The meth weighed 31.4 pounds and carried an estimated street value of $628,000, Simon said.

Later in the day, agents at the same station found 18.6 pounds of meth, worth about $372,000, in another car.

In that instance, the agents discovered multiple bundles tucked in a spare tire in the rear seat of a maroon 2003 Ford Expedition driven by a 32-year-old Mexican man.

Throughout the region between Wednesday and Saturday, stops by border agents in Pine Valley resulted the discovery of nearly 39 pounds of cocaine worth about $388,000 on Thursday and a find that yielded 22 bundles of cocaine ---- with an estimated street value of $541,000 ---- inside a car driven by a 23-year-old U.S. citizen on Saturday.

In both Pine Valley instances, the vehicle drivers were U.S. citizens.

Call staff writer Teri Figueroa at 760-740-5442.

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