CBP Agents Seize $8.5 Million in Drugs within 48 Hours

Edinburg, Texas ─ More than $8.5 million worth of narcotics were confiscated by CBP U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Rio Grande Valley Sector in multiple seizures over the past two days.

One of the most significant seizures was made Tuesday near Los Ebanos, Texas, by agents assigned to the Rio Grande City Station. The agents were working near the Rio Grande when they saw a suspicious vehicle parked near the river’s edge. As the agents approached for a closer inspection, they noticed the vehicle was abandoned and contained more than 1,560 pounds of marijuana, with an estimated value of more than $1.2 million. Inside the vehicle agents also found a bag of homemade caltrops, which are often used by smugglers in an attempt to disable pursuing vehicles.

Additionally, in another seizure earlier that day in Abram, Texas, agents from the McAllen Station were notified by a helicopter from CBP Office of Air and Marine about a vehicle driving away from the river at a high rate of speed. When the driver spotted the agents approaching, he came to a quick halt and abandoned the vehicle leaving behind more than 500 pounds of marijuana and more than 60 pounds of cocaine. The combined value of both the marijuana and cocaine is close to $2.5 million.

Additional seizures throughout the sector pushed the total marijuana seized to more than 7,500 pounds and the total value of drug seizures to more than $8.5 million. The drugs were turned over to various 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.