Border Patrol canine sniffs out $60G worth of fentanyl hidden inside burritos
The suspect is a 37-year-old Mexican national who is lawfully residing in the United States, CBP says
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Border Patrol canine on Monday sniffed out packages of fentanyl pills that had been hidden inside burritos at an immigration checkpoint in Arizona.
The canine alerted his handler to a 2007 Blue Chevrolet Tahoe at the Yuma Sector Patrol station in Yuma around 3:30 p.m., Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in a press release.
Packages of fentanyl pills smuggled inside burritos. (CBP)
The handler referred the male driver of the vehicle to the checkpoint’s secondary inspection where the canine alerted to a black backpack inside the vehicle.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Agents searched the backpack and discovered several small packages with fentanyl pills that had been stuffed inside breakfast burritos, CBP said. They also found two cellphones and $6,200.
The fentanyl packages had a combined weight of just over five pounds with an approximate street value of $60,000, according to the agency.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CBP said Drug Administration Enforcement (DEA) agents accepted the case. The narcotics, vehicle, and two cell phones were turned over to them.
The driver, identified by CBP as Adrian Salgado-Corona, was arrested. CBP told Fox News that Salgado-Corona is a 37-year-old Mexican national who is lawfully residing in the United States. It wasn’t immediately clear if had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CBP told Fox News that the seizure of fentanyl comes amid an overall "increase in the seizure of drugs in the Yuma Area of Responsibility of late."