U.S. Border Patrol agents in the Rio Grande Valley Sector have disrupted three narcotic smuggling attempts over the past few days.
On Wednesday, agents working near Rio Grande City, Texas, observed several subjects carrying bundles of narcotics walking north from the Rio Grande into an open field. Upon arrival, agents searched the immediate area and discovered five bundles of marijuana in an abandoned trailer, weighing over 200 pounds and worth an estimated $162K. Shortly thereafter, agents observed a group of people jump into the Rio Grande and return to Mexico. The Drug Enforcement Administration took custody of the narcotics.
On Monday, agents working at the Falfurrias checkpoint boarded a commercial passenger bus to conduct immigration inspections on all the occupants. During the inspection, a Border Patrol K-9 alerted to an unclaimed bag located underneath in the luggage compartment. Agents searched the bag and discovered more than 15 pounds of methamphetamine worth an estimated $512K. Border Patrol turned the narcotics over to the Brooks County Sheriff’s Office.
On Sunday, agents working near La Paloma, Texas, detected an illegal entry in the form of multiple shoe prints heading north from the U.S. riverbank. Agents followed the prints and observed two subjects’ carrying bundles of narcotics in a canal, walking toward Highway 281. Responding agents arrested the two subjects and recovered two abandoned bundles of marijuana. The marijuana weighed over 90 pounds and is worth an estimated $75K. Cameron County Sheriff's Office took custody of both subjects and narcotics.
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