Agents Seize More than $9.5 Million Worth of Drugs in 72 Hours

Edinburg, Texas ─ Over the past three days, U.S. Border Patrol agents confiscated more than 5 tons of narcotics in multiple seizures throughout the Rio Grande Valley sector.

One of the largest seizures occurred Tuesday evening when agents assigned to the Rio Grande City station received a report from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Air and Marine air interdiction agents that a blue Chevrolet Suburban had picked up bundles of narcotics near Garceno, Texas. When the driver noticed he was being followed by a helicopter, he quickly turned the van around, sped toward the Rio Grande and abandoned the vehicle on the banks of the river with nearly 900 pounds of marijuana inside. The marijuana has a value of close to $700,000.

In another unrelated incident Wednesday morning, Rio Grande City station agents found a fishing boat hidden in a woody area near La Rosita, Texas. A Border Patrol canine detected the odor of marijuana coming from the boat and agents found close to 1,000 pounds of marijuana concealed within two false compartments in the boat’s hull.

Several more seizures throughout the sector netted nearly 9,000 additional pounds of marijuana and more than 15 pounds of cocaine, pushing the estimated value of the 72-hour total to more than $9.5 million.

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.