Marijuana smugglers foiled

BY JAMES GILBERT, SUN STAFF WRITER

March 2, 2007 - 9:27PM

U.S. Border Patrol agents of the Yuma sector’s Wellton station foiled a marijuana-smuggling attempt just after midnight Friday morning near Interstate 8 and Mohawk Pass.

"We have our share of drug traffic out in that area, but where the stop occurred was unusual," said Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Lloyd Easterling. "Due to the tactical infrastructure, the increased manpower and new technology, drug smugglers are trying different things to get their loads across, such as crossing further away from Yuma, but we will be there."

Wellton agents were alerted that a vehicle had illegally entered the country by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations. When agents located the vehicle, which had been abandoned, they found an estimated 500 pounds of marijuana and a pair of night vision goggles inside.