Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) arrested one woman and seized 29 pounds of fentanyl in a stop on May 15. The incident occurred near Golf Center Parkway on Interstate 10 in California.
According to CBP, the incident took place just after 9:30 a.m. A white sport utility vehicle passed CBP agents in agency-marked vehicles, and the driver tapped the vehicle brakes. This caught the agents’ attention, prompting them to conduct a vehicle stop after performing records checks.
A female driver, who had two underage children in the vehicle, claimed that they were U.S. citizens. However, a records check revealed she was undocumented, although the children were U.S. citizens.
With a canine unit present, agents asked to search the vehicle and found a sealed box with shelves on the rear seat of the vehicle. Agents realized it was heavier than expected and when they shook the box, they heard contents moving inside. Upon examining the box further, they found that the shelves were painted and still tacky, with no hardware inside. A search of the shelves revealed cellophane-wrapped packages of blue pills marked M-30. Twenty-nine pounds of fentanyl pills were discovered within those shelves.
The driver was arrested; the narcotics and vehicle were turned over to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Bureau. The children’s father picked them up.
"Border security professionals make apprehending dangerous drugs and people their personal responsibility here in the El Centro Sector," said Chief Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino. "This particular undocumented smuggler used two children in the smuggling scheme which is horrifying. No regard for human life here folks, only greed."
U.S. Border Patrol, a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is responsible for safeguarding the nation's borders and preventing illegal entry of people and contraband. Established in 1924, it operates in 328 ports of entry and protects 7,000 miles of land borders and 95,000 miles of maritime borders.
