November 23, 2004
Large Cache of Marijuana Seized from Flatbed
Trailer
Over 1,000 pounds found in hidden compartment
Tucson, AZ -- Today, at approximately 8:00 a.m., Border Patrol Agents assigned to the Nogales Station encountered a 1980 Ford 350 truck towing a large flatbed trailer near the International Boundary. The agents suspected that the truck had recently crossed into the United States illegally and performed a vehicle stop near the Buena Vista Ranch. The driver of the truck, a 34-year-old Legally Admitted Resident Alien from Mexico, appeared nervous and unable to explain why he was in the area. The agents suspected that the vehicle and/or trailer may have contained illicit drugs and requested a Border Patrol Canine unit to their location. The canine arrived and alerted to the presence of narcotics in the trailer.
The trailer was taken to the Nogales Station were a cutting torch was used to gain entry into a hidden compartment which contained a total of 1,067 pounds of marijuana worth an estimated value of $853,600.
The marijuana and the driver are being turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration. During Fiscal Year 2005, which began October 1, 2004, the Tucson Sector Border Patrol has seized 64,352 pounds of marijuana compared to 57,846 pounds for the same time period last year, representing an 11% increase. Last year,s total marijuana seizures of 446,962 pounds, a record year for the Tucson Sector, will be surpassed this year if this trend continues.
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.
Video footage is available. Please contact Tucson Sector PIO at 670-6871.
~CBP~
