Executive Summary
- U.S. Border Patrol agents seized 46.08 pounds of fentanyl during a traffic stop on Interstate 5 in San Clemente, California, on November 12.
- The seized narcotics have an estimated street value of $397,000.
- A male U.S. citizen was arrested, and the case was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for federal prosecution.
- The fentanyl was discovered in 36 plastic-wrapped packages found in the trunk of the vehicle.
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. – U.S. Border Patrol agents seized more than 46 pounds of fentanyl with an estimated street value of nearly $400,000 during a vehicle stop on Interstate 5 in Southern California. The incident occurred on November 12, resulting in the arrest of a U.S. citizen.
According to a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, agents from the San Clemente Station stopped a vehicle traveling northbound on Interstate 5 near the Cristianitos Road exit. A subsequent search of the vehicle’s trunk revealed 36 plastic-wrapped packages suspected of containing narcotics.
The driver, identified only as a male U.S. citizen, was taken into custody. The contents of the packages later tested positive for fentanyl, weighing a total of 46.08 pounds. Officials estimated the value of the seized drugs at $397,000. The driver and the narcotics were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for federal prosecution, and the vehicle was seized by the Border Patrol.
“Foreign terrorist organizations persistently seek to profit off Americans suffering with drug addiction by moving large quantities of dangerous drugs along our nation’s highways,” said San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Justin De La Torre in a prepared statement. “I am grateful to our hardworking agents in the San Diego Sector who confront this challenge head-on and keep this deadly product out of our communities.”
This seizure is part of ongoing efforts by federal law enforcement to intercept illicit drugs along major transportation routes. It is important to note that the individual arrested is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.