San Diego
U.S. Border Patrol agents early Wednesday seized 246 pounds of ephedrine, the primary precursor to crystal methamphetamine, authorities said.
Federal officials say increasing amounts of ephedrine are being smuggled into the country from Mexico after a crackdown on sales in the United States.
Agents discovered the substance at about 6 a.m. Wednesday in the trunk of a car that came from the area of the border fence near Dairy Mart Road in San Diego, said Ted Swofford, a Border Patrol spokesman. When agents attempted to stop the vehicle, Swofford said, it sped towards the fence and the driver fled into Mexico on foot. No arrests were made.
The ephedrine was valued at about $133,000, Swofford said, and it could yield more than $1 million worth of methamphetamine.
pichar
More to Read
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
