Wellton, Arizona - Border Patrol agents arrested a 31-year-old Mexican national with a Border Crossing Card at the Wellton Station Interstate 8 Immigration Checkpoint Saturday, after he attempted to smuggle methamphetamine in his vehicle’s gas tank.
At approximately 5:20 p.m., agents referred a blue 2006 Volkswagen Jetta to the secondary inspection area after a Border Patrol canine alerted to an odor it was trained to detect. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, a total of 31 packages of methamphetamine were removed from the gas tank. The narcotics had a combined weight of 42.5 pounds and are estimated to be worth more than $127,000.
This is the second gas tank load found by Wellton agents in a week. The first gas tank load was seized on August 8 and was being driven by a Mexican national lawfully admitted for permanent residence.
The contraband and vehicle were seized.