Border Patrol in Tucson Seizes 4 Tons of Marijuana

Friday, February 29, 2008

Tucson, Ariz. — U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Tucson, Ariz. sector seized more than $6 million worth of marijuana during routine patrols this week. Four separate incidents were involved.

Wednesday evening, agents assigned to the Ajo Station found an abandoned vehicle north of the village of Kaka on the Tohono O’odham with drugs inside. The SUV was partially covered with loose brush and appeared to be abandoned. Inside the truck agents found 104 bundles of marijuana weighing just over 2,200 pounds. The Tohono O’odham Police was notified of the vehicle location. The drugs were turned over to the DEA.

Thursday, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agent informed Border Patrol working the traffic checkpoint on Interstate 19 of a tractor trailer that might be carrying marijuana. A vehicle matching the description approached the checkpoint where a Border Patrol canine from the Nogales Station alerted to the presence of drugs inside the truck, prompting it to be referred for a secondary inspection. The agents located 62 bundles of marijuana, weighing more than 1,400 pounds. The driver, a resident alien from Mexico, along with the truck and trailer, were turned over to ICE for prosecution.

Thursday night, a tractor trailer approached the Interstate 19 checkpoint where a Border Patrol Canine from the Nogales Station alerted to the presence of drugs inside the trailer. The truck was referred to secondary inspection where agents found pallets of marijuana bundles. A total of 187 bundles of marijuana weighing nearly 4,400 pounds were removed from the tractor trailer. The driver, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Mexico was taken into custody. The truck, trailer, drugs and driver were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for prosecution.