Border Patrol reports and increase in drug seizures

Wednesday, April 01, 2009 at 11:03 a.m.
http://www.valleycentral.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=281311

Border Patrol from the Rio Grande Valley Sector told Action 4 News
that they have seen a big increase in drug smuggling cases.

Agency officials said they had more than 100 seizures yielding more
than 18,000 pounds of marijuana worth $15 million dollars.

Border Patrol agents said that represents an 87 percent increase from
the time last year.

The largest bust over the last week was at the Falfurrias checkpoint
where agents discovered nearly 2,600 pounds of marijuana inside a
tractor-trailer.

Border Patrol agents also seized nearly 1,300 pounds of marijuana
near the Granjeno area.

"We have fiscal year-to-date in marijuana apprehensions, we're over
435,000 pounds of marijuana seized fiscal year-to-date," said local
Border Patrol spokesman John Lopez. "Our cocaine seizures are
approximately 2,000 pounds fiscal year-to-date."