TUCSON – A 24-year-old man from Avondale, was arrested by Wellton Station Border Patrol agents working at the Interstate 8 Immigration Checkpoint after they discovered drugs worth over $440,000 in his vehicle.
The unidentified smuggler was in possession of a Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) card, which provides expedited processing at the U.S.-Mexico border for pre-approved travelers who are considered low risk, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
A U.S. Border Patrol canine alerted to the man’s Chevrolet Cruz on Friday morning as he was attempting to travel through the checkpoint. A search revealed a false compartment in the floorboard containing more than 100 packages of methamphetamine weighing more than 103 pounds. Agents also found packages of cocaine weighing more than 10 pounds, and heroin weighing nearly four pounds.