U.S. Border Patrol agents seize more than 3,000 pounds of marijuana at Sarita checkpoint

By Steven Alford
Posted November 9, 2011 at 7:42 p.m., updated November 9, 2011 at 7:44 p.m.

SARITA — U.S. Border Patrol agents seized nearly 8,000 pounds of marijuana the past two days, including more than 3,000 pounds at a checkpoint near Sarita.

On Tuesday, a tractor-trailer from the Rio Grande Valley was stopped for inspection about 10 p.m. at the Border Patrol checkpoint on U.S. Highway 77 near Sarita, according to a news release.

A drug-sniffing dog alerted agents to the possible presence of contraband and agents searched trailer.

Inside agents found marijuana in several plastic-wrapped bundles with an estimated street value of more than $2.4 million, according to the release.

The male driver and the drugs were turned over the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The estimated value of the entire drug seizures is more than $6.3 million, according to the release.

A Border Patrol spokesman said 98 percent of drug seizures are the result of an alert from a drug dog.

http://www.caller.com/news/2011/nov/09/ ... n-3000-of/