November 13, 09

NEWS / Border Patrol Seizes 10 Tons of Marijuana in Week in South Texas

Edinburg, Texas - Border Patrol agents assigned to the Rio Grande Valley Sector, which consists of nine stations, have made numerous unrelated marijuana seizures since last Friday, Nov. 6. The seizures occurred in areas along the Rio Grande and north to the checkpoints on Highway 281 and Highway 77.


The Rio Grande Valley Sector seized 21,506 pounds of marijuana with a value of more than $16 million during this seven day span.


Nov. 6, Fort Brown agents discovered 239 pounds of marijuana abandoned near a trail near Oklahoma Street after tracking foot sign north from the Rio Grande River. On that same date, a service K-9 team alerted agents at the Falfurrias Checkpoint to 1,007 pounds of marijuana hidden in a tractor-trailer hauling cabinets.


On the following Saturday, agents assigned to the Harlingen station discovered 14 bundles of marijuana weighing 1,013 pounds while tracking a group of about 20 individuals north from the river.


Tuesday, agents assigned to the Brownsville station apprehended two adult males illegally in the United States along with 1,298 pounds of marijuana near San Pedro with the aid of a remote video surveillance system. Following that seizure, agents working out of the Rio Grande City station were on patrol near Garceño and seized 1,305 pounds of marijuana after they encountered several males loading bundles into a Suburban.


Wednesday, agents assigned to the Weslaco station seized 783 pounds of marijuana and arrested one adult male after the driver attempted to abandon his narcotics laden vehicle near Alamo.


Early this morning, agents assigned to the McAllen station seized 1,020 pounds from a suspicious vehicle driving along the river with its lights out.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/11132009_5.xml