Border Patrol seizes 966 pounds of marijuana (12:55 p.m.)
Times staff report
El Paso Times
Article Launched:06/08/2007 01:27:36 PM MDT

DEMING, N.M. -- U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents seized 753 pounds of marijuana discovered in an abandoned vehicle in Deming, N.M. yesterday, said a press release from U.S. Customs.
Agents responding to the area east of the Columbus port-of-entry discovered an abandoned1993 Ford Ranger with New Mexico license plates.

According to the release, the driver ditched the vehicle on a rural road and fled on foot back into Mexico. Record checks revealed the truck had been stolen.

Agents discovered 695 bundles of marijuana wrapped in cellophane plastic worth $602,320 in the truck. The vehicle and narcotics were seized for disposal, reported the release.

In a separate incident, Border Patrol agents in Lordsburg, N.M., stopped a vehicle that had also been reported stolen.

The driver, a 20 year-old female from Chihuahua, Mexico readily admitted to agents that she was transporting marijuana in the trunk, detailed the release.

A canine unit also alerted to the vehicle and a search revealed four large cellophane wrapped bundles of marijuana weighing 213 pounds that were concealed in the trunk of the vehicle. The value of the marijuana is $170,432.

The driver and narcotics were turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents for prosecution.

According to the release, in the fiscal year 2007, as of May 31, Border Patrol agents in the El Paso sector have seized more than $85 million dollars worth of narcotics in 738 incidents.


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