$1.9M of cocaine found at Border Patrol checkpoint near Salton Sea

12:31 PM, Apr. 13, 2011
Written by Brian Indrelunas
The Desert Sun

Border Patrol agents found about $1.9 million of cocaine Tuesday in a sport utility vehicle stopped at a checkpoint near the Salton Sea, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Agents found 61 pounds of cocaine in a compartment that had been built into the SUV after it was first manufactured, according to the agency.

They had held the vehicle for extra screening because of inconsistencies in what the driver told agents Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of highways 78 and 86, southeast of Salton City.

A Border Patrol dog then tipped agents off to the possibility that drugs were hidden in the vehicle.

The driver and a passenger, along with the SUV and cocaine, were turned over to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, according to Customs and Border Protection.

The name, age and gender of the arrestees were not immediately released.

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