19,000 Pounds Of Drugs Seized In Southeast Houston

March 5, 2007



HOUSTON -- More than 19,000 pounds of marijuana hidden inside two school buses were seized by federal and local law enforcement in a southeast Houston raid Sunday, KPRC Local 2 reported.

The remote southeast Houston location was identified as an off-loading and distribution site for smuggling illegal drugs across the border, officials said.

Law enforcement officers said they discovered several vehicles containing large amounts of marijuana when they entered the area.


The street value of the 9 1/2 tons of marijuana is estimated at $13 million, officials said.

Several law enforcement agencies were involved in the drug bust including the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Harris County Sheriff's Department, the Houston Police Department and the Pasadena Police Department.

"This significant drug seizure exemplifies the professional teamwork among our local, state and federal law enforcement partners," said Robert Rutt, special agent-in-charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Houston.

Two individuals were arrested at the site and now face federal drug charges.


http://www.click2houston.com/news/11175681/detail.html