Thread: 750,000 lbs. of pot seized by El Paso Border Patrol in 2009

C.B.P. News Release

Border Patrol in South Texas Establishes Record for Marijuana Seizures

(Friday, July 24, 2009)

Edinburg, Texas - Border Patrol agents assigned to the Weslaco, Texas Border Patrol station seized 597 pounds of marijuana along the banks of the Rio Grande River daybreak yesterday, boosting the total marijuana seizure in the sector to more than 750,000 pounds for fiscal year 2009, the most ever.

The Border Patrol’s Rio Grande Valley sector covers the western tip of south Texas. Officials attribute the increase in illicit drug seizures to the additional manpower, technology and tactical infrastructure across the sector.

Smugglers have resorted to loading the contraband into otherwise empty trailers with little or no concealment. The level of desperation is apparent among drug trafficking organizations as evidenced by the frequency, size of the loads and lack of sophistication in concealing the contraband.

“The Falfurrias and Sarita checkpoints play an essential role in the sector’s defense-in-depth enforcement strategy in combating alien and drug smuggling. RGV sector’s effectiveness has also been bolstered with the addition of approximately 800 agents since 2006. This, along with the collaboration from Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies, and various other regional joint operations, has improved our success considerably.â€

More great news stories JD2. Will forward.