Border Patrol seizes 16 tons of pot in 1 week

June 03, 2011 9:38 AM
Naxiely Lopez
The Monitor

More than 16 tons of marijuana was confiscated by U.S. Border Patrol agents throughout the Rio Grande Valley Sector in one week.

The seizures occurred during separate incidents from May 25 to Wednesday, according to a news release from Border Patrol. The narcotics were valued at over $26 million, officials said.

Two of the largest seizures happened Monday as agents assigned to the Falfurrias Border Patrol Checkpoint were conducting immigration inspections. In both unrelated incidents, a K-9 alerted agents to the presence of suspected contraband, officials said.

Agents found more than 4,300 pounds of marijuana, valued at more than $3.5 million, in a tanker trailer after secondary inspection, agents said. In the other seizure, agents found more than 6,300 pounds of marijuana hidden among produce with an estimated value of more than $5.1 million.

A third seizure happened when Rio Grande City agents patrolling the Rio Grande spotted several people unloading bundles of suspected narcotics from a small boat, officials said. As agents neared the group, the suspected smuggler abandoned their cargo and fled into Mexico. They left behind more than 1,200 pounds of marijuana valued at more than $986,000.

Several additional seizures throughout the area pushed the total to more than 32,000 pounds, agents said. The drugs and arrested subjects — which were not named or numbered in the news release — were turned over to various agencies for further investigation. No other information was made available.

Naxiely Lopez covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4434.

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