JACUMBA, Calif. – Thursday, U.S. Border Patrol agents from the El Centro station arrested six men and seized 267 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $160,000.
The incident occurred at approximately 7:30 p.m., when agents working in the mountains near In-Ko-Pah County Park discovered foot prints and six large bundles of marijuana.
An agent and his K-9 partner from the Border Patrol’s Search, Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) team searched the area approximately 300 yards east of the abandoned marijuana and discovered six men attempting to conceal themselves.
Agents interviewed each of the men and determined that they were illegally present in the U.S. Agents believe they were smuggling the marijuana prior to its abandonment.
The men and marijuana are in Border Patrol custody and will be turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.
The El Centro Sector’s Community Awareness Campaign is a simple and effective program to raise public awareness on the indicators of crime and other threats. We encourage public and private sector employees to remain vigilant and play a key role in keeping our country safe. Please report any suspicious activity to the Border Community Threat Hotline at 1-800-901-2003.