Agents Seize More Than 6,400 Pounds of Dope in 24 Hours

Edinburg, Texas - Nearly $6.5 million worth of marijuana was confiscated by U.S. Border Patrol agents in the Rio Grande Valley Sector in multiple seizures throughout the area Tuesday.

Agents assigned to the McAllen Station saw three suspicious vehicles traveling north from the Rio Grande. The agents intercepted the vehicles near the river.

The largest seizure occurred in Peñitas, when agents assigned to the McAllen Station saw three suspicious vehicles traveling north from the Rio Grande. The agents intercepted the vehicles near the river, at which time the drivers jumped out and fled into the brush.

More than 2,200 pounds of marijuana, with a value of more than $1.8 million, was found inside the vehicles.

Nearly 2,000 additional pounds of marijuana was seized by agents assigned to the Weslaco Station when they saw about 20 people loading bundles into a Ford pickup near the river. Agents attempted to stop the vehicle as it traveled north at a high rate of speed, but the driver turned the vehicle around and sped back south. The driver and passenger jumped out near the river and swam to Mexico.

Inside the truck agents found 131 bundles of marijuana, with a value of more than $1.5 million.

Several additional seizures occurred throughout the area, bringing the total amount of marijuana seized to more than 6,400 pounds. The Drug Enforcement Administration assumed custody of the narcotics.

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.