U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested a 16-year-old boy after allegedly catching him smuggling nearly 27 pounds of methamphetamine across the U.S.–Mexico border.
The arrest happened late on August 30, when surveillance operators spotted a “suspicious person” carrying two duffel bags in a remote area about a mile east of the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Border Patrol agents responded and encountered the teen, who claimed he was hiking.
Although the boy was no longer carrying the bags, a K-9 unit located them nearby. Inside, officers discovered water bottles wrapped in black electrical tape. Tests confirmed they contained 26.89 pounds of methamphetamine, worth more than $32,000 on the street.
The teen and the seized drugs were turned over to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.
“These criminal organizations have no reservations about using a minor to smuggle their poison,” said Acting Chief Patrol Agent Jeffrey D. Stalnaker. “No matter what these criminals try, I know our agents will be there to thwart their plans.”
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