Drug Smugglers Attempt to Move 5 Tons of Dope as Dolly Approaches Fails
Thursday, 24 July 2008

Edinburg, Tx. - Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol agents in Texas this morning seized almost 10,000 pounds of illegal narcotics as Hurricane Dolly threatened landfall.



Border Patrol agents in Texas seized almost five tons of marijuana at the Sarita, Texas checkpoint hidden in the back of this truck.

Sarita, Texas seized 9,651 pounds of marijuana that had been buried under a load of cotton seed inside a tractor trailer. The driver, a United States citizen, was taken into custody.

While determining the driver’s citizenship, a Border Patrol canine alerted to the presence of humans or drugs concealed in the back of the tractor trailer. The driver was directed to the secondary inspection area where a search of the trailer led to the discovery of 479 bundles of marijuana. The total weight of the marijuana was 9,651 pounds with an estimated value of $7,720,800.

“This incident serves to remind us all that narcotics traffickers and other criminal organizations will exploit events like hurricanes and storms to their advantage,â€