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San Ysidro News

CBP Officers Seize Largest Heroin Load of 2004 at San Ysidro

Tuesday, June 22, 2004

SAN YSIDRO - A 27-year old San Pedro man was arrested early this morning by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the San Ysidro border station after they discovered approximately 47 pounds of heroin and 54 pounds of marijuana hidden in the man's automobile as he entered the U.S.

It was the largest seizure of heroin so far this fiscal year at any port of entry on the California/Mexico border. The other significant heroin seizure occurred at the Calexico border station in October 2003 when CBP officers confiscated about 14 pounds of the narcotic. The current fiscal year began in October.

36 wrapped packages containing heroin and 28 packages of marijuana were found hidden in the trunk of a car at the San Ysidro international border crossing.

CBP officers this morning found 36 wrapped packages of heroin and 28 packages of marijuana hidden within a secret compartment inside the trunk of the orange 1974 Opel sedan bearing California plates, officials said.

36 wrapped packages containing heroin and 28 packages of marijuana found hidden in the trunk of a car.

A canine enforcement officer conducting roving operations in the pre-primary lanes became suspicious after his narcotics detector dog alerted to the rear of the vehicle while it was in line awaiting primary processing at about 4:45 a.m. on Thursday morning, officials said. After the driver was detained, the vehicle was subjected to an intensive secondary inspection where officers discovered the narcotics.

The driver, Gary Alexander Baca, was arrested by special agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and subsequently transported to the Metropolitan Correctional Center for arraignment in federal district court on charges of illegally importing a controlled substance.