One of the city's largest methamphetamine busts in recent history practically fell into the lap of the Santa Fe Police Department over the weekend.

Raul Rincon, a 34-year-old bus passenger from Madera, Calif., was arrested Saturday evening at a gas station off Sawmill Road near Interstate 25 and charged with drug trafficking after Officer Daniel Parsons reportedly found 2.68 pounds of methamphetamine taped around the man's ankles.

If the drug is pure methamphetamine — police have not released information on its purity — the approximate street value could exceed $236,000.

The officer went to the gas station around 6 p.m. Saturday after the driver of an interstate bus called to have Rincon removed because he was "highly intoxicated and acting up," disrupting other passengers, Santa Fe police Sgt. Louis Carlos said Tuesday.

"The officer told (Rincon) to get off the bus and that he was going to have to sober up and try to catch another bus," Carlos said.

Santa Fe police weren't sure where the bus came from or its destination, Carlos said.

Rincon was cooperative and willing to sober up and catch another bus to continue his trip, police said. Parsons suggested Rincon wait at another gas station for a bus to pick him up later in the evening. Carlos said the officer even offered the man a ride, but said he would first have to frisk him before letting him in the squad car.

Rincon agreed to be frisked, police said, and he remained cooperative until Parsons "discovered a bulge down around the man's ankles" that was later determined to be packages of meth.

The potential street value of such a drug depends on its purity and where it is sold.

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration website, as of June 2007, "the average price per pure gram of all domestic methamphetamine purchases increased ... to $194.25." That would mean 2.68 pounds of meth might have a street value of $236,130, if pure and sold by the gram.

The anti-meth website KCI.org reports that the approximate value of methamphetamine with average purity in the United States, regardless of region, is $1,700 per ounce, which could make the street value of the drugs seized Saturday about $72,000.

Rincon is being held in the Santa Fe County jail in lieu of a $50,000 cash bond.

Carlos said the case was handed over to the District Attorney's Office. Because the man is suspected of traveling across state lines with the drugs, the matter likely will become a federal case.

Contact Geoff Grammer at 986-3076 or ggrammer@sfnewmexican.com.