EL PASO: An El Paso driver was turned over to federal agents after he was found with more than $300,000 worth of cocaine in his vehicle at a local border crossing, officials said.
Around 6 a.m Tuesday, a 2006 Saturn Ion entered the Paso Del Norte port of entry, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers noticed something strange with the vehicle, officials said.
A drug-sniffing dog alerted officers to the vehicle, and after an X-ray scan, officers found cocaine filled bundles in the dashboard and rear seats of the car, officials said.
In total, officers removed eight bundles that weighed a total of 10.25 pounds. The estimated street value of the cocaine was estimated at $328,000.
“CBP personnel used a variety of tools and techniques to identify this drug load,” said Beverly Good, CBP El Paso port director. “The various layers of enforcement we employ help CBP officers identify and stop contraband at the border.”
Gustavo Antonio Jacquez, 27, of El Paso was turned over to federal agents in connection with the smuggling attempt.
