Suspected smugglers, marijuana seized

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December 16, 2009 4:18 PM
BY JAMES GILBERT, SUN STAFF WRITER

Border Patrol agents assigned to the Yuma Sector's Wellton Station arrested eight suspected drug smugglers and seized six backpacks reportedly loaded with marijuana near Sentinel Tuesday morning.

At about 3 a.m., a Border Patrol agent detected a group of eight backpackers crossing the desert about five miles south of Interstate 8, near the Sentinel Rest Area, according to Agent Shaun Kuzia, a spokesman for the Yuma Sector.

"The agent was watching them with night vision equipment and notified other agents in the area."

Kuzia said the Border Patrol agent maintained a constant visual of the group while agents in the area moved into place to apprehend the suspected smugglers.

"When the group realized they were being tracked, they dropped their bundles and ran north," Kuzia said. "At this point they were just trying to get away."

Through a coordinated effort, Kuzia said, agents moved in on the group and apprehended all eight suspected smugglers.

Kuzia said that after a brief search of the area, agents recovered six makeshift burlap-style backpacks containing eight bundles of marijuana.

The backpacks reportedly contained 260 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $208,000.

The eight suspected smugglers and backpacks of marijuana were taken to the Wellton Border Patrol Station for processing. The suspected smugglers will be processed for removal and the marijuana will be destroyed, said Kuzia.

http://www.yumasun.com/news/marijuana-5 ... glers.html