25 pounds of meth found inside truck's fuel tank at Highway 86 checkpoint

SALTON CITY, Calif. (KABC) -- Border Patrol agents seized 25 pounds of methamphetamine that was stuffed inside the truck's fuel tank at a checkpoint on Highway 86 Sunday.

Authorities say a 27-year-old man approached the Highway 86 checkpoint driving a 1999 Ford F-150 at about 5:20 p.m.

A K-9 team alerted Border Patrol agents from the Indio Station to the vehicle, and then agents discovered the hidden drugs after an intensive search.

"This seizure highlights the important role played by our K-9 handlers and their partners in keeping our communities free from dangerous drugs and the violence associated with their sales and distribution," said Marc Lieberman, acting patrol agent of the Indio station, in a statement.

The meth is worth an estimated street value of $281,200, according to Border Patrol.

The driver, who was a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.