2 men arrested near Canadian border were smuggling drugs, agents say

SEATTLE (AP) — Two Taiwanese nationals are in federal custody after they were stopped near the Canadian border during what officials say was a drug smuggling operation.

Blaine, Washington, Border Patrol agents saw a Ford pick-up stop briefly last week near a path known as a drug smuggling site.

Agents stopped the truck and found Min-Hsiang Yuan inside with a backpack full of MDMA, also known as Ecstasy.

Other agents used a police dog to track down Cheng-Long Cai in the woods.

Yuan told agents he was sight-seeing and Cai said he was hiking. Agents say Cai dropped the drugs on the side of the road and Yuan picked them up.

They were arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute about 50 pounds of the drug. They're in custody awaiting their April 1 preliminary examination.