Suspicious Package Closes Down Road In Sunland Park, NM

The New Mexico State Police investigated a suspicious package left in the median of State Road 273 in Sunland Park, NM on Friday morning.

A quarter mile stretch of State Road 273 (McNutt Road) had been blocked off between Poplar Court and Santo Domingo Road for approximately three and one half hours. No evacuations were made and residents in the area were instructed to remain in their homes and to stay away from the area.

Officers from the Sunland Park Police Department found the package while patrolling McNutt Road. The suspicious package was a 5 gallon water jug sitting on a metal folding chair placed in the middle of McNutt Road. The water jug appeared to have a 2 inch white substance at the bottom.

The Sunland Park Fire Department and Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team were called to the scene to assist with identifying the contents of the water jug. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal team used a remote controlled robot with cameras to examine the bottle. The images sent back from the robot revealed the water jug was actually empty.

Officers from the New Mexico State Police are presently conducting an investigation and are interviewing a person of interest.