An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  1. Home
  2. Newsroom
  3. Local Media Release
  4. U.S. Border Patrol Seizes Marijuana Backpacks, Arrests Smuggler

U.S. Border Patrol Seizes Marijuana Backpacks, Arrests Smuggler

Release Date
Wed, 06/09/2010

Wellton, Ariz. - U.S. Border Patrol agents seized more than a quarter million dollars worth of marijuana and arrested a suspected smuggler east of Lukeville, Ariz., early Tuesday morning.

Just after midnight, Border Patrol agents assigned to Yuma sector's Camp Grip detected the illegal entry of six individuals about 15 miles east of the Lukeville port of entry. Agents tracked the group on foot for about two hours when they came across eight abandoned makeshift backpacks full of marijuana.

Border Patrol agents secured the contraband and continued searching for the group that had begun walking south toward Mexico. Agents later located and arrested one man from the group; the remaining five men fled back into Mexico to avoid apprehension.

Agents transported the suspected smuggler and bundles of marijuana to the Wellton Border Patrol station for processing. Agents seized a total of 314 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $251,200.

Camp Grip is Yuma sector's tactically deployed forward operating base that is designed to maintain effective control of the seam between the Yuma and Tucson sectors. These bases act as a deterrent and an additional detection platform, ensuring that smuggling organizations understand that if they operate in these areas, they will be pursued and apprehended.

To report suspicious activity, contact the Yuma Sector Border Patrol's toll free telephone number at 1-866-999-8727.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021