Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Calif. U.S. Border Patrol Agents Interdict Drug Smuggling Attempts(Wednesday, May 18, 2011) contacts for this news releaseCampo, Calif. — U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested seven men in two separate incidents in Campo and seized nearly 600 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $349,000. The most recent incident occurred yesterday morning when Border Patrol agents detected several individuals with backpacks walking north from the U.S./ Mexico border through the brush. Agents responded, intercepting six individuals and discovered six backpacks hidden in the surrounding areas. The backpacks contained 27 bundles of marijuana weighing more than 337 pounds with an estimated street value of $202,000. The men, later identified as Mexican nationals illegally in the country, were taken into Border Patrol custody. An earlier incident occurred Friday morning when Border Patrol agents working near the international border in Campo observed four individuals carrying large backpacks. Agents observed the subjects attempting to conceal the backpacks in the surrounding brush. Agents arrived in the area and conducted a search and encountered one male Mexican national and found four large backpacks. The three additional suspects absconded from the area and returned to Mexico. The backpacks contained 20 bundles of marijuana weighing more than 245 pounds with an estimated street value of $147,000. The seven suspected smugglers and the marijuana were taken into custody and were turned over to a multi-agency drug task force. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
