A Dallas woman is accused of trying to smuggle more than $1.6 million worth of methamphetamine hidden in the rear tires of an SUV at a Texas border crossing.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials on Tuesday announced the bust at the Paso Del Norte border crossing in El Paso. Matilda Perez, 46, was detained on drug smuggling charges after officers found more than 50 pounds of meth in the vehicle.
Investigators say the 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer arrived at the border crossing Saturday morning. A drug-sniffing dog alerted officers to something unusual in the rear of the vehicle.
Officers removed the back tires and found custom-manufactured metal collars bolted to the rims. The metal collars were cut open and revealed about a dozen methamphetamine-filled bundles.
