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Press Release - Tucson Sector PIO
November 19, 2004Large Marijuana Seizures Continue
1879 Pounds confiscated in 14 hoursTucson, AZ -- Within a span of 14 hours, Border Patrol Agents assigned to the Casa Grande Station seize 1,879 pounds of marijuana in two separate incidents.
On November 18, at approximately 11:30 a.m., the Casa Grande Motorcycle Unit on patrol discovered several sets of footprints heading north near the village of Cowlic on the Tohono O'odham Reservation. The agents tracked the group of approximately 12 individuals for several hours in the direction of Sells. In a thick brush line near Federal Route 24, milepost 3, the agents located 12 bundles of marijuana wrapped in burlap sacks. Agents searched the area for the drug smugglers, but no arrests were made. The marijuana, valued at $567,520, was remanded to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
On November 19, a K-9 Unit patrolling near Sells discovered a marijuana load apparently abandoned by drug smugglers on horseback. The incident occurred at approximately 2:00 a.m., when the agent, on a hunch, began searching the brush adjacent to a cemetery located on Highway 86. As the agent made his way through the brush, his canine suddenly made a dash over a dirt berm. Hidden behind the berm were numerous bundles of marijuana. The marijuana was packaged in such a way, utilizing plastic wrap, tape, burlap, and heavy rope, that it gave the impression it was hung over a horse during transportation. No arrests were made. The marijuana, with a value of $936,480 and a weight of 1170 pounds, was turned over to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Since the beginning of the fiscal year (10/01/04), the Tucson Sector has seized over 28 tons of marijuana, worth over $45.8 million.
The Border Patrol is a division of the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, a new agency within the Department of Homeland Security, responsible for managing and securing our nation,s borders.
~CBP~
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