CALEXICO, Calif. — Monday, U.S. Border Patrols agents assigned to the El Centro Station seized 970 pounds of marijuana from a failed drug smuggling attempt.
The incident occurred at around 8:07 a.m., when camera operators observed a tan Infinity QX4 heading north across the United States/Mexico International Boundary. The vehicle drove north and then east on the US/Mexico International Boundary. Camera operators lost sight of the vehicle but agents assigned to this area were actively searching for the vehicle.
U.S. Border Patrol agents track a vehicle crossing the border from Mexico; find it abandoned and filled with bundles of marijuana.
A Border Patrol agent found the vehicle abandoned south of Hwy 98 along the pole line road approximately a quarter mile south of Hwy 98. The agent searched the vehicle and found it full of large bundles wrapped in plastic. The bundles tested positive for the properties of marijuana.
Agents tracked the footprints for two subjects from the vehicle heading south towards the border. Both subjects absconded back to Mexico.
Agents seized a total of 80 bundles of marijuana with a combined weight of 970.33 pounds with an estimated street value of $436,600.
U.S. Border Patrol agents turned the vehicle and marijuana 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.