Border Patrol Halts 500 Pounds of Marijuana at Checkpoint

December 10, 2009: Border Patrol agents from the Indio, Calif. station working the Highway 111 checkpoint seized approximately 500 pounds of marijuana with an estimated value of more than $400,000. A truck entered the Highway 111 checkpoint on Wednesday for inspection. During the inspection, a Border Patrol canine team alerted to the cargo box of the truck and the vehicle and was referred for further inspection.

A physical search of the cargo area revealed a discrepancy between the front interior and exterior walls. Indio Station agents discovered approximately 80 bundles of marijuana within a non-factory compartment. The marijuana weighs approximately 500 pounds and has an estimated value of more than $400,000. The driver, the vehicle and marijuana were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.