16-Year-Old El Pasoan Caught Driving Van With Hidden Marijuana

An El Paso teenager faces smuggling charges after authorities at the Ysleta Port of Entry in El Paso found 126 lbs. of marijuana hidden in the van he was driving.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers say the teen was crossing the bridge Sunday afternoon when a drug-sniffing dog alerted them to the drugs during an inspection. Officers then found a makeshift gas compartment in the 1999 Chevrolet Astro van and when they sawed it open, they uncovered two large bales of pot.

“Unfortunately, some teens become involved in drug smuggling without realizing that the consequences of their actions can have a negative impact their lives for many years to come,” said Norman Bebon, CBP El Paso assistant port director in a statement.

CBP officers turned the boy over to El Paso Police for prosecution.