C.B.P. News Release

Agents Seize More Than $8 Million Worth of Dope in One Day

(Friday, September 17, 2010)

Edinburg, Texas ─ More than 10,000 pounds of marijuana were seized by U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Rio Grande Valley Sector in three separate events Thursday.

On Sept. 17, agents from the Falfurrias station nabbed two large loads when K-9 teams alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from tractor-trailers in separate events. In total Falfurrias agents seized more than 9,000 pounds of marijuana from the two rigs.

Agents assigned to the Falfurrias and McAllen stations continue to nab large narcotic loads. In two separate cases, two large seizures occurred at the Border Patrol Checkpoint south of Falfurrias, when K-9 teams alerted to the odor of illicit contraband coming from tractor-trailers. In total Falfurrias agents seized more than 9,000 pounds of marijuana from the two rigs. The third seizure totaled more than 1,000 pounds and was intercepted by McAllen Station agents from a vehicle leaving the Rio Grande.

The three seizures have a combined value of more than $8 million.

On Sept. 17, just before noon, agents of the McAllen station seized 1,071 pounds of marijuana after following a suspicious Dodge Ram from the Rio Grande to a Wal-Mart parking lot.

The pair of incidents at the Falfurrias Checkpoint have put the Rio Grande Valley Sector’s marijuana seizures on pace to breaking the sector’s record for the second consecutive year. Last year, in total, 848,334 pounds of marijuana were seized by the end of the fiscal year.

“The Rio Grande Valley sector’s record breaking pace in marijuana seizures is indicative of the diligent manner in which agents work to ensure these dangerous drugs do not make it into our communities and into the hands of our children.â€