Border Patrol at the San Clemente checkpoint on Thursday seized several pounds of cocaine that had been hidden inside a fire extinguisher.
At around 10 a.m., agents encountered a 2008 Dodge Nitro driven by a 20-year-old female Mexican national. After the initial checkpoint inspection, the driver was referred to secondary inspection, where a Border Patrol K-9 alerted to the cargo area of the SUV.
During a closer inspection of the vehicle, agents discovered an unusually heavy fire extinguisher in the rear of the vehicle. They opened the canister and found 6.83 pounds of cocaine inside. The narcotics were valued at $81,960.
The woman was arrested for narcotics smuggling and turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration along with the cocaine. The vehicle was seized by the U.S. Border Patrol.
Since October 1, Border Patrol agents in San Diego Sector have intercepted 900 pounds of cocaine.
