One Week's Seizures Yield More Than 18 Tons of Marijuana with $30M Street Value

Edinburg, Texas - U.S. Border Patrol agents of the Rio Grande Valley sector kept busy over the past seven days seizing more than 18 tons of marijuana.

Beginning June 20 and ending Sunday, agents made multiple seizures of marijuana valued at close to $30 million. The seizures spanned across the Rio Grande Valley from Brownsville to Rio Grande City and north to the Falfurrias and Kingsville Border Patrol checkpoints.

The most significant seizures occurred at the Falfurrias checkpoint when agents confiscated more than 14,000 pounds of marijuana in one day. The cases developed when K-9 teams operating in conjunction with the primary agents alerted to the possible presence of illicit contraband within vehicles. Secondary inspections revealed the contraband concealed within varying types of cargo.

In an unrelated case, McAllen station agents seized more than 900 pounds of marijuana Wednesday when the driver of a black SUV slammed into a hurricane fence at a residence near Peñitas.

This reflects an increase of nearly eight percent for the U.S. Border Patrol’s Rio Grande Valley sector as compared to the same time frame in 2009.

To report suspicious activity, contact the Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol sector’s toll-free telephone number at 800-863-9382.