HOULTON — Two men wound up in jail on a heroin charge on Sunday after making a wrong turn and winding up at the U.S-Canadian border crossing at the northern terminus of Interstate 95, according to state police.
Francisco Vasquez, 34, of Mansfield, Connecticut, and Sammy Rodriguez, 32, of the Bronx, New York, claimed to be heading to Caribou from Connecticut for a birthday party, but had missed the Route 1 exit off I-95 and wound up at the border, Department of Public Safety Spokesman Stephen McCausland said.
A search of the vehicle by Canadian officials upon the men crossing into Canada turned up materials and packing consistent with drug trafficking but no contraband was found, McCausland said. As Vasquez and Rodriguez headed back towards Houlton, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents used a drug-sniffing dog to aid in their search.
The dog alerted to the presence of drugs and two bags of heroin totaling 66 grams valued at $20,000 were found in the trunk. McCausland said packaging materials and $640 in alleged drug money also were found.
Border patrol notified Maine Drug Enforcement Agency officials, who responded to arrest the men after they were detained, McCausland said. Both were charged with aggravated heroin trafficking, a Class A offense.
Vasquez and Rodriguez were taken to the Aroostook County Jail, where bail was set at $25,000 for both.
