Men Face Drug Charges After Wrong Turn Leads Them To The Border

Two men who took a wrong turn and ended up at the Canadian border are now facing drug charges.

Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland says the two men, who are from out-of-state, claimed to be traveling to Caribou from Connecticut for a birthday party, but missed the Houlton exit of I--95 and ended up at on the Canadian side of the border crossing.

Canadian officials conducted a customs search of the car and found materials and packaging consistent with drug trafficking, but no drugs were located.

The car then turned around to return to the U.S. side. Upon re-entry, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents conducted their own search, with the help of a drug-recognition dog. The K9 alerted officials to two bags of suspected heroin concealed in the trunk. The total weight of the drugs was about 66 grams, which is the equivalent of 660 doses, and has a street value of about $20,000. Also found were packing materials and $640 in suspected drug proceeds.

Arrested were:

• Francisco Vasquez, age 34 of Mansfield, Connecticut. He's charged with Aggravated Trafficking in Heroin, Class A
• Sammy Rodriguez, age 32 of Bronx, New York. He's charged with Aggravated Trafficking in Heroin, Class A

The men were arrested and transported to the Aroostook County Jail, where bail was set at $25,000 cash each. The investigation is continuing.