CBP Border Patrol Seizes More than a Ton Of Marijuana Over Weekend

San Diego, CA – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Border Patrol agents of the San Diego Sector seized 2,912 pounds of marijuana valued at $2,329,600 in two separate incidents on Friday, December 2.

On Friday afternoon, agents assigned to the Campo Station working in the Mount Laguna area observed three vehicles driving in tandem along an isolated dirt road north of Old Highway 80. As agents drove toward the vehicles to investigate, all three immediately fled the area. After driving a short distance, the first vehicle abruptly stopped and the occupants ran into the brush. The remaining vehicles continued to flee for a short distance, but stopped after driving off a dirt road. A total of 284 packages of marijuana weighing approximately 2,282 pounds were recovered from the vehicles. Agents arrested all five occupants of the vehicles and turned them, along with the marijuana, over to the custody of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Also on Friday afternoon, agents assigned to the San Clemente Station seized two marijuana loads weighing a total of 630 pounds at the Las Pulgas exit, just south of the Interstate-5 checkpoint. Agents were conducting roving patrol in support of checkpoint operations when they observed two suspicious vehicles exit the highway. When the suspects attempted to turn around and return south, agents stopped the vehicles and questioned the occupants about their citizenship.

Both occupants of the first vehicle freely admitted they were illegally in the United States and that they had narcotics in their vehicle. Agents discovered 39 bundles of marijuana weighing approximately 156 pounds in the trunk. The driver of the second vehicle also admitted that he was in the United States illegally. A search of the vehicle revealed 66 bundles of marijuana weighing approximately 474 pounds that was concealed in black plastic bags on the vehicle’s back seat. The DEA took custody of all suspects and the marijuana.

The San Diego Sector Border Patrol has seized over 9,800 pounds of marijuana and other drugs since October 1, 2005, the beginning of the fiscal year.