Drugs Found in Boots and Bras at Interior Immigration Checkpoint

El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents found alleged drug smugglers attempting to conceal drugs in boots and a bra in recent days at an interior immigration checkpoint. The seizures of cocaine and fentanyl occurred in separate incidents at the Highway 86 checkpoint.

El Centro Station Border Patrol agents assigned to the Highway 86 interior immigration checkpoint on August 4 observed a man driving a Chevrolet Malibu approaching for inspection. During an initial interview, a K-9 alerted to an odor it is trained to detect. The agent referred the driver, an 18-year-old U.S. citizen, to a secondary inspection station, according to information obtained from El Centro Sector Border Patrol officials.

During a secondary inspection, agents searched the driver and found several small packages concealed in a pair of boots worn by the man. Agents tested the contents of the packages and determined it to be a fentanyl powder from crushed pills, officials stated.

The agents seized the drugs and arrested the driver. The drug packets weighed in at 1.77 pounds with an estimated street value of just over $20,000, the report states.

Border Patrol agents turned the young man and the fentanyl over to special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.

One day earlier, agents assigned to the same checkpoint arrested a woman, also a U.S. citizen, for allegedly attempting to smuggle methamphetamine inside her brassiere. The discovery followed a K-9 alert as the woman attempted to drive her Hyundai Elantra with three passengers through the checkpoint.

During a secondary inspection, agents conducted a physical patdown of the driver and the three passengers. During the search, agents found a plastic-wrapped package in the drivers brassier.

Officials estimated the value of the .66 pounds of methamphetamine to be $1,485. In addition, the agents seized $6,420 in cash found in the driver’s purse. The agents turned the drugs, money, and vehicle over to ICE Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation and prosecution.

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 Facebook.