Border Patrol Cocaine Seizures Increase 5 Fold In El Centro

Border Patrol Cocaine Seizures Increase 5 Fold In El Centro

By Amy Isackson
April 12, 2010

Border Patrol agents in El Centro say they've seized five times the amount of cocaine in the half year than they did in all of fiscal 2009. Agents says, at the same time, marijuana seizures dropped by 40 percent.

El Centro Border Patrol agent Keith Croxton says agents there have seized 850 pounds of cocaine since October. He says that's worth about $27 million.

"Marijuana seizures are down compared to last year. Our heroin seizures are up. Our methamphetamine seizures are up. And our cocaine are up. But I can't give you an answer as to why they're deciding to move those drugs as compared to marijuana, when marijuana was our main drug last year," says Croxton.

Croxton says Border Patrol manpower hasn't increased significantly in El Centro this year. He says agents haven't received new technology either.

Croxton says the majority of the cocaine agents find is hidden in vehicles. He says smugglers include U.S. citizens, Mexican citizens, young people, old people, women and men.

http://www.kpbs.org/news/2010/apr/12/bo ... -fold-el-/