United States Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents in Texas seized more than a half-ton of cannabis that was smuggled across the U.S.—Mexico border over the past week.
The CBP this week reported that on the afternoon of Monday, November 23, agents in the Laredo sector received information regarding a possible narcotics smuggling attempt that was to take place at a ranch located south of Zapata, Texas.
When agents arrived at the location, they found 84 bundles of cannabis that were abandoned in the surrounding brush.
According to the CBP, the bundles weighed a total of 959.56 pounds and had an approximate street value of $767,648.
“Patrolling our borders remains a 24/7 operation, even during holidays and the COVID pandemic,” says Laredo Sector Chief Patrol Agent Matthew Hudak. “I am proud of the diligence of our agents and this large seizure that resulted from their relentless efforts.”
Following the seizure, the CBP turned over possession of the bundles of cannabis to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
In a separate incident on November 20, a sensor alerted Lordsburg Border Patrol agents to a possible illegal entry into the United States at approximately 6:00 a.m.
Horse patrol agents and canine teams responded to the area and found the footprints of three individuals that had traveled northward.
Agents followed the footprints for nearly ten miles before they discovered three large burlap sacks that were partially hidden from view within the rocky mountainside.
Agents seized the bundles and transported them to the Lordsburg station where they tested positive for cannabis.
According to the CBP, the bundles weighed a total of 139 pounds and had an approximate street value of $111,200.
In a separate incident on November 20, CBP agents assigned to the Clint station found muddy footprints leading from an irrigation canal near the international boundary to another irrigation canal one mile to the north.
During a search of the tall brush area in the canal, agents located two partially concealed bundles as well as two individuals who were hiding inside a large irrigation pipe approximately five feet from the bundles.
Agents transported the bundles and the two individuals to the Clint station for processing.
The bundles tested positive for cannabis and weighed out to a combined total of 89 pounds, with an estimated street value of $71,200.
One of the individuals, a 33-year-adult male from Mexico, was turned over to the DEA for criminal prosecution, while the other individual, a juvenile, was turned over to Mexican immigration authorities for a voluntary return.
The CBP emphasizes that arrests or criminal complaints are merely charges, and subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
