Thread: Narcotics Seizures in 2010 Up 40 Percent in South Texas

Narcotics Seizures in 2010 Up 40 Percent From Previous Year

Last Update: 4:06 pm

SOUTH TEXAS – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and agriculture specialists at eight South Texas ports of entry seized a significant amount of narcotics, currency, false documents, and uncovered numerous immigration and agricultural violations during fiscal year 2010. Fiscal Year 2010 began Oct. 1, 2009, and ended Sept. 30, 2010.

CBP officers at eight ports of entry extending from Brownsville to Del Rio in FY 2010 seized 154,313 pounds of narcotics that carried an estimated street value of $407 million. This is a 45 percent increase over the total amount of narcotics seized in FY 2009. Specifically, they seized 146,934 pounds of marijuana, 6,075 pounds of cocaine, 758 pounds of methamphetamine, 546 pounds of heroin, $13.6 million in undeclared currency, 111 firearms and 64,040 rounds of ammunition.

Weapons seizures are up significantly over the 85 firearms and 22,399 bullets seized in FY 2009. They made those interceptions while processing 2.4 million commercial trucks, 21.3 million privately owned vehicles, 59.5 million passengers and pedestrians and 74,540 commercial buses at the ports over the same period.

South Texas CBP officers in FY 2010 determined that a total of 24,625 non-U.S. citizens were inadmissible to the United States due to violations of immigration law. CBP officers and agriculture specialists in FY 2010 intercepted a total of 19,154 pests. They also made 34,331 interceptions of quarantined animal materials. CBP in South Texas also tallied 131,375 interceptions of quarantined plant materials in FY 2010.

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C.B.P. News Release

Agents Continue to Crack Down on Drug Smuggling

(Wednesday, February 23, 2011)

Edinburg, Texas ─ More than $11.8 million worth of drugs have been confiscated by U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Rio Grande Valley sector in multiple seizures since last Friday.

One of the most notable seizures occurred near La Casita, Texas, when agents assigned to the Rio Grande City station saw several people on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande loading large bundles of marijuana into an aluminum boat. Moments later, the agents saw a white truck drive down to the river, where the boat was waiting.

As the agents approached the group, the driver and the smugglers abandoned their load and jumped into the river to escape. While the agents were securing the contraband, they saw a second vehicle approaching, which they believe was coming to pick up the same load. Upon seeing the agents, the driver abandoned the vehicle and jumped into the river.

A helicopter from the Texas Department of Public Safety assisted in the search for any remaining drug smugglers. More than 2,000 pounds of marijuana and two vehicles were seized.

In another unrelated event, agents assigned to the McAllen station were patrolling the river near Mission, Texas, when they spotted a suspicious minivan being driven toward the river. Moments later, the agents saw several people exit the brush and attempt to load the minivan with large bundles. As the agents closed in, the driver and the smugglers abandoned more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana and fled into the brush. The marijuana and the vehicle were seized.

More than 13,000 pounds of narcotics have been seized since Friday and were turned over to various agencies for further investigation.

To report suspicious activity, call the Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol Sector’s toll-free telephone number at 800-863-9382.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Contacts For This News Release
Rio Grande Sector
CBP Public Affairs
Phone: (956) 289-4934 or
(956) 289-4845 or
(956) 289-4998 or
(956) 289-4848

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/new ... 2011_6.xml