Border Agents Seize 773 Pounds Of Marijuana
Border Patrol agents confiscated a total of 773 pounds of marijuana after three separate attempts to smuggle the drug past a checkpoint south of Alamogordo.
The first seizure occurred about 9 p.m. July 23, when the driver of a 2007 Dodge pick-up was referred to secondary inspection and gave consent to inspect a diesel tank tool box in the truck?s bed. After emptying the gas from the tank, further inspection revealed compartments that contained five bundles, weighing 553 pounds of a green leafy substance. The substance later tested positive for marijuana. Agents arrested the 58-year-old driver from Mexico.
In a second incident the following day, agents at the Border Patrol Checkpoint on Highway 70, just West of Alamogordo, encountered a Ford Excursion that was referred to secondary inspection after the driver displayed unusual mannerisms. A non-intrusive K-9 inspection was conducted along with the assistance of checkpoint technology, which revealed anomalies in the vehicle?s doors. Agents discovered numerous bundles of marijuana with a total weight of 220 pounds. The 22-year-old driver and a 22-year-old passenger, both from Las Cruces, were taken into custody. The subjects in both incidents, the narcotics and vehicles were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) pending prosecution.
