Man Arrested At Border Checkpoint For Drug Possession

LAS CRUCES — Border Patrol agents on Saturday arrested a man who was driving a vehiclecarrying illegal drugs.

Agents atthe traffic checkpointonI-25, just outside of the city limits, apprehended a 47-year oldman on drug charges,after he appeared to give conflicting information during routinequestioning.

Agents said they grew suspicious ofpossible criminal activity, and they told the driver to take his vehicle to a secondary inspection.

A narcotic-sniffing dog alerted authorities to the man’s car, in which they later found83.9 pounds of marijuana with an estimated value of $67,120, and 14 pounds of cocaine worth $448,000. Some of the illicit drugs were found in the driver’s side fender of the car.

Agents then turned the subject, vehicle anddrugs over to the Drug Enforcement Agency. Agents did not name the man they apprehended.