Border Patrol: Man drives across Rio Grande with more than $800K in marijuana

Border Patrol Agents in Fort Hancock, Texas seized a Chevrolet Silverado after its driver crossed the Rio Grande with $853,280 in Marijuana inside the pickup.

The bust happened Friday afternoon near the farm community, about a 50 minute drive southeast of El Paso.

Officials said agents patrolling along the Rio Grande encountered tire tracks of a vehicle that had illegally entered the United States by driving across the international border.

The agents then began patrolling all routes leading to the interstate for suspicious vehicles.

Agents spotted the white Chevrolet Silverado traveling westbound on Interstate 10 heading to El Paso and the pickup’s driver allegedly panicked when he saw the agents.

The Agents attempted to pull the truck over, but when they turned on their emergency lights the driver made an abrupt stop and turned south to drive across the median.

The Border Patrol said the truck continued south through the desert in an attempt to evade agents until it got stuck in a mesquite mound. The driver allegedly attempted to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended.

Agents found that both the bed and cabin of the truck were stuffed with bundles of marijuana. The combined weight of the bundles was 1,066 pounds, the Border Patrol said.

The Border Patrol did not identify the alleged drug smuggler. Officials said the man is now in custody of the Drug Enforcement Administration, now handling the investigation.