Nearly 1,000 pounds of liquid meth seized during Riverside County traffic stop

Nearly 1,000 pounds of liquid methamphetamine were seized when U.S. Border Patrol agents stopped a semi-truck on the 15 Freeway in Temecula last month. 

In a news release, San Diego Sector U.S. Border Patrol agents said they stopped the semi-truck, which was driving without a trailer, on the freeway nearly a quarter-mile north of the California Highway Patrol's Rainbow Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facility scales in Fallbrook. 

"During the encounter, a Border Patrol agent assigned to the Newton-Azrak Border Patrol Station and his K-9 partner, Loki, led agents to discover characteristics of liquid methamphetamine concealed inside at least one of the truck's fuel tanks," the release said. 

Both the driver and semi were taken to the Newton-Azrak Station in Murrieta, where hazardous response specialists extracted the liquid contents from the tank, which tested positive for meth, the release said. 

In all, they said the total weight of the narcotics totaled 962 pounds, or 115 gallons, which were worth an estimated street value of $1 million. 

Agents said the driver was transferred to Homeland Security Investigations and local authorities for prosecution, adding that he was a Mexican national. 

The suspect has not been identified yet as the investigation continues. 

"This massive seizure of liquid methamphetamine highlights the lengths these transnational criminal organizations will go to smuggle hard narcotics into our communities," said a statement from San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Justin M. De La Torre. "The vigilance of our agents, the reliability of our K-9 units, and our strong multi-agency partnerships are vital to dismantling these illicit smuggling operations and keeping deadly drugs off our streets."