Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents arrested three people and seized two firearms in connection with an attempted methamphetamine smuggling operation. The incident occurred at an interior immigration checkpoint in southwest Arizona.
Friday evening shortly before midnight, Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Interstate 8 checkpoint observed a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban approaching for inspection. The agents observed three people in the vehicle. During the initial inspection and interview, a Border Patrol K-9 alerted to an odor it is trained to detect, according to information obtained by Yuma Sector officials.
The agents directed the driver, a U.S. citizen, to the secondary inspection area where they carried out a search of the vehicle. While searching the Suburban, agents found a backpack with 918 grams of methamphetamine, officials stated. As the search continued, the agent found a loaded .380 caliber handgun in the door pocket of the front seat passenger. Officials said that the seat had been occupied by a 57-year-old U.S. citizen male. In addition, the agents found a 9mm pistol in the glove compartment of the Suburban.
The agents arrested the driver, an 18-year-old female, the front seat passenger, and the additional passenger, a 60-year-old male U.S. citizen.
Officials seized the drugs, vehicle, and firearms. Officials did not report the disposition of the three suspected drug smugglers.
Interior immigration checkpoints are key components in the operations of Border Patrol agents, officials previously told Breitbart Texas.
Earlier this week, Agents assigned to the Javier Vega, Jr. Immigration Checkpoint in the Rio Grande Valley Sector seized nearly $3 million in cocaine, Breitbart Texas reported. During a physical search of the trailer, agents found 36 bundles of suspected drugs hidden among the cargo. Officials report the drugs tested positive for cocaine and weighed more than 92 pounds. They estimated the value of the cocaine to be $2.9 million.
“Even with the spread of the COVID-19 virus, human smugglers continue to try these brazen attempts with zero regard for the lives they endanger nor to the health of the citizens of our great nation,” Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol officials said in a written statement.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Face
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