Agents find load of marijuana in truck at El Paso border

Associated Press - April 29, 2008 4:45 PM ET

EL PASO, Texas (AP) - Customs agents in El Paso have seized more than 3,300 pounds of marijuana hidden in a shipping container.

The drugs, hidden in a false compartment of the container, were discovered yesterday afternoon.

Officer Rick Lopez says agents working at an international bridge near downtown El Paso X-rayed the truck, which the driver claimed was hauling empty containers.

The X-ray revealed a hidden compartment.

A drug-sniffing dog named Irwin helped locate the 270 packages of marijuana, weighing nearly 3,345 pounds.

The drugs have a street value of nearly three million dollars.

The driver was not arrested and returned to Mexico after the incident. The manifest shows the containers were destined for El Paso.


Information assist from KINT-TV: http://www.kint.com

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http://www.kcbd.com/Global/story.asp?S=8245231

(One question--why was the driver returned to Mexico and not arrested?)