USBP nabs three in smuggling try

USBP nabs three in smuggling try
BY JONATHAN ATHENS, SUN STAFF WRITER
Published on: November 12, 2005

Yuma sector Border Patrol agents early Saturday morning seized nearly $3 million pounds of marijuana and arrested three Mexican men on drug smuggling charges.

Two other Mexican men, both suspected of being drug smugglers, eluded capture and are considered at-large, said Michael Gramley, spokesman for the Border Patrol’s Yuma sector.

Agents saw two pickups, later discovered to be stolen out of Phoenix, driving through the desert without their headlights on south of Sentinel at 1 a.m., Gramley said.

Agents deployed spikes in the path of the two pickups, deflating the tires of one of the trucks and bringing it to a stop, according to a news release from the Border Patrol.

The second truck, before reaching the spikes, turned around and headed toward Mexico but got stuck in a desert wash, Gramley said.

A helicopter from the newly formed Customs and Border Protection air unit was involved in the pursuit, Gramley said.

Gramley said agents arrested three Mexican men and found 3,672 pounds of marijuana valued at $2.9 million in the pickups. They also found a pair of night vision goggles in one of the trucks.

Gramley said agents are searching for the two who eluded capture.

The other three men, whose names were not released, are in federal custody pending drug smuggling charges, Gramley said.

The three are slated to appear in federal court on Monday.

Jonathan Athens can be reached at
jathens@yumasun.com or 539-6857.

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