$1.6 Million Worth of Cocaine Seized at the Border

EDINBURG, Texas – Rio Grande Valley Sector (RGV) Border Patrol agents interdicted three narcotic smuggling attempts totaling over 130 pounds of marijuana and more than 50 pounds of cocaine.

Friday afternoon, Fort Brown Border Patrol Station agents working in Brownsville, Texas, observed two subjects illegally enter the United States, one of which was carrying a bundle of marijuana. When agents approached the subjects, they quickly abandoned the bundle and fled back to Mexico. The bundle of marijuana weighed approximately 23 pounds with an estimated street value of over $18K.

Saturday evening, Rio Grande City Border Patrol Station (RGC) agents observed a subject carrying a bundle on his back walk away from the river and further into the United States. Responding agents located two subjects and two bundles of marijuana weighing over 110 pounds. The marijuana has an estimated street value of over $92K. The drug smugglers are citizens of Mexico and Honduras. The case was turned over to Starr County Sheriff’s Office.

Yesterday evening, RGC agents working in Roma, Texas, observed multiple subjects raft across the river from Mexico and walk towards a neighborhood. Two vehicles approached the area and the individuals began loading bags into the vehicles. As agents responded, the subjects began running towards the river. A National Guard air asset advised approximately 40 subjects were absconding back to Mexico from the U.S. riverbanks. The driver of one of the vehicles, a GMC Yukon, absconded from the vehicle while leaving it in motion. The vehicle drove through a property fence before agents were able to disable it. Inside the Yukon were two backpacks containing over 50 pounds of cocaine. The cocaine has an estimated street value of more than $1.6M. Agents located the driver hiding in the nearby area. The second vehicle fled from the area and was not located. Starr County Sheriff’s Office took custody of the driver, vehicle, and narcotics.