Air and Marine Agents in Texas Find 86 Pounds of Marijuana Hidden in Small Aircraft

San Angelo, Texas - On April 29th, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Air and Marine (OAM) Air Interdiction Agents reported the seizure of 86 pounds of marijuana after following a suspect aircraft. A Cessna 182 was flying to Texas from California when OAM was alerted by the Air and Marine Operations Center (AMOC) in Riverside, California of the suspicious aircraft. The San Angelo Air Unit launched an air asset to pursue the small aircraft. Upon landing in Sonora, Texas, the pilot of the suspect aircraft consented to a search, which yielded the marijuana. The marijuana is valued at more than $218 thousand.

CBP’s Office of Air and Marine operates the world’s largest law enforcement air force and supports CBP and other federal and international counter narcotics operations throughout the eastern Pacific, Caribbean and shorelines of the United States.

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.