Border Patrol agents seized nearly five pounds of fentanyl pills and arrested two suspects in eastern San Diego County this week following a short pursuit along Interstate 8, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.
The suspects were initially apprehended by officers at approximately 4 p.m. when their car pulled up to the Pine Valley, California, Border Patrol Immigration Checkpoint on I-8.
According to CBP, agents directed the driver of the vehicle to move into secondary inspection but he did not, instead speeding off west on I-8. After a short pursuit, the driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed near the highway’s exit at East Willows Road near Alpine.
Both the driver and a man passenger needed on-scene care for their injuries. There were no other recorded injuries.
CBP reports that while the two were being treated, Border Patrol officers found eight bundles wrapped in plastic inside the car. Federal officials also say the wrapping seemed to be consistent with illegal drugs.
After that, the medications were returned to the checkpoint so that the packages could be examined further. The tablets weighed an estimated 4.73 pounds and tested positive for fentanyl, according to CBP.
The car and drugs were placed in the custody of the Border Patrol, and federal authorities handed the case over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for additional investigation.
According to CBP, the driver and passenger are both facing unidentified federal offenses. The identities of the two suspects, including whether they were citizens of the United States, were not disclosed.
