Border Patrol Seizes More than $7.2 Million in Narcotics

Edinburg, Texas ─ U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Rio Grande Valley Sector confiscated more than $7.2 million in narcotics in multiple seizures over the past four days.

click for hi-res U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Rio Grande Valley Sector confiscated more than $7.2 million in narcotics in multiple seizures over the past four days.

The largest of the seizures took place early Saturday morning when a man driving a truck hauling boxes of candy approached the Sarita Checkpoint on U.S. Highway 77 for an immigration inspection. During the inspection, a Border Patrol K-9 detected the presence of contraband within the cargo area of the vehicle. Inside the truck agents found more than 2,300 pounds of marijuana, with an estimated value of more than $1.8 million. The driver and the marijuana were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Another large seizure was made Monday night near Escobares, Texas, when agents assigned to the Rio Grande City Station saw several people walking north away from the Rio Grande carrying large bundles of marijuana. When approached by agents, the smugglers dropped the bundles and fled into the thick brush, leaving behind more than 630 pounds of marijuana.

Additional seizures from Friday through Monday brought the total amount of narcotics seized to more than 6,600 pounds of marijuana and nearly 60 pounds of cocaine.

The narcotics will be turned over to the appropriate agencies for further investigation.

To report suspicious activity, call the Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol Sector’s toll-free telephone number at (800) 863-9382.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.