Quartz boulders hid $3.9 million in meth and cocaine, Border Patrol says
When U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents cracked open boulders seized at a California checkpoint Monday, they found a lot more than rock inside.
Agents seized packages of methamphetamine and cocaine with an estimated street value of $3.9 million hidden inside the boulders, a news release from the agency says.
“Hard to believe, but this isn’t the first time CBP officers in California have had to actually break open rocks or other items to get at the narcotics that drug trafficking organizations have hidden inside,” said Jose Haro, officer in charge of the Tecate port of entry, in the release.
Agents stopped a big-rig hauling “beach pebbles and stones” at the crossing at 10:45 a.m. Monday, the release says.
A Border Patrol K-9 detected narcotics, and after unsuccessfully searching the truck agents broke open some of the quartz boulders, the agency reported.
“Inside, officers found packages wrapped with black electrical tape, which had been cemented inside of the stones,” the release says.
Agents recovered 104 packages of methamphetamine and 125 packages of cocaine, the release says. The drugs, truck and boulders were seized as evidence.
