Border Patrol Agents Seize More Than a Ton of Marijuana

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Edinburg, Texas — Border Patrol agents assigned to the Rio Grande Valley Sector seized more than one ton of marijuana in two separate incidents. The value of the narcotics is close to $2 million.

On Sunday, Border Patrol agents assigned to the Rio Grande City Border Patrol station observed suspicious activity while performing routine patrol in Escobares, Texas, near the Rio Grande River. Agents witnessed several subjects place large bundles of possible narcotics into a gray Ford F-250 truck.

When the driver of the truck headed north from the river, responding agents attempted to execute a vehicle stop. The driver abruptly turned the truck around and headed back toward the Rio Grande River. Several subjects were observed abandoning the vehicle and swimming back to Mexico.

A search of the abandoned truck yielded 40 bundles of marijuana with a total weight of 1,221 pounds and an estimated value of $976,800.

The second seizure occurred the following day when Border Patrol agents from the McAllen Border Patrol station, patrolling the area near Anzalduas Park, just south of Mission, Texas, responded to a suspicious vehicle. As the agents approached the vehicle, the driver immediately parked and fled the scene on foot. A further search of the vehicle revealed 15 bundles of marijuana. The marijuana weighed approximately 1,086 pounds with an estimated value of $868,800.

The combined weight of both seizures was 2,307 pounds of marijuana with an estimated value of $1,845,600. The marijuana was turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for further investigation and the vehicles were seized by Border Patrol.