(KGTV) - Border Patrol agents seized more than $360,000 in narcotics from a pair of separate drug busts.
In one incident, agents said a man was caught with bundles of cocaine and heroin stuffed inside his car's spare tire, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
The 19-year-old Mexican national was stopped at an Interstate 5 checkpoint at about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday near San Clemente. He was referred to a secondary inspection area, where agents found 10 plastic-wrapped bundles in the car's tire well.
Five of the bundles contained about 11.5 pounds of cocaine and the other five bundles contained another 12.6 pounds of heroin. The drugs have an estimated street value of $327,930.
The man was arrested for narcotics smuggling.
On the same day, just 15 minutes later, another man was arrested for suspected smuggling methamphetamine at a Highway 86 immigration checkpoint.
CBP said the 31-year-old man approached the checkpoint at about 6:45 p.m. and was sent to secondary screening after a positive K-9 alert.
Further inspection of his vehicle revealed seven packages hidden inside the driver's seat and passenger seats, weighing about 13.4 pounds in total. Testing of the packages confirmed methamphetamine, CBP said. The drugs have an estimated street value of $47,180.
The man was determined to be a lawfully permitted legal resident and turned over to the Drug Enforcement Agency.
Since October 2016, CBP says they've seized more than 1,100 pounds of meth, 2,300 pounds of cocaine, and 270 pounds of heroin.
