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State Police: Blasting Caps, Dynamite Found Near Elephant Butte Dam

nmsp.dps.state.nm.us

New Mexico State Police say blasting caps and deteriorated dynamite has been disposed of after being found in a manhole near Elephant Butte Dam.

It's unclear how long the items had been there.

Authorities say the explosives were found Thursday by employees of the electric cooperative as they were preparing to begin an excavation project.

A red box about 18 inches long, 14 inches high and 12 inches wide was located inside a fenced-in power transformer area some 1,000 yards from the dam.

The dam is located near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.

State Police say a bomb team X-rayed the box and found about 50 blasting caps and an unknown amount of deteriorated dynamite.

They say the dynamite was desensitized and disposed of after being removed from the manhole.

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