El Paso Sector Border Patrol Agents in New Mexico and Texas arrested four drug smugglers and seized approximately 847 pounds of marijuana in three separate seizures during a 48-hour period.
On July 22, 2012, agents assigned to the Lordsburg, N.M., and the Fabens, T.X., Border Patrol stations put their tracking skills to work with great success. Consequently, Lordsburg agents arrested one person and seized approximately 376 pounds of marijuana, valued at $300,800. Within 24-hours, agents in Fabens seized 104 pounds of marijuana with an approximate street value of more than $83,000. Two persons were arrested in that incident.
On July 23, 2012, agents assigned to the traffic checkpoint on I-10, west of Las Cruces stopped another load of marijuana from reaching the streets. Agents there took one person into custody and seized approximately 367 pounds of marijuana, valued at 293,600.
All individuals who were arrested were processed through the Integrated Automated Identification System (IAFIS) as well as other databases, and all were positively identified as citizens of Mexico.
The subjects are currently being held at the Dona Ana Detention Facility and El Paso County Detention Facility pending criminal prosecution.
Marijuana seizures to date in FY 2012 are down 13 percent from the same period in FY 2011.