see also: in March 2004:   CBP Border Patrol Seizes Over 273 Pounds of Cocaine   CBP Border Patrol Agents Rescue Twenty-two civilians in Kyrgyzstan   CBP Border Patrol Seizes Over 2,800 Pounds of Marijuana   U.S. Customs And Border Protection Commissioner Robert C. Bonner Hails Supreme Court's Pro Border Search Ruling   CBP Border Patrol Seizes Over 2,800 Pounds of Marijuana   San Ysidro Port of Entry to Test New Procedure For Issuance of I-94 Permits to Mexican Travelers. ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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Marfa, Texas -Agents of the U.S Customs and Border Protection's Border Patrol Marfa Sector were busy seizing drugs last week. The Sierra Blanca, Marfa and Alpine Stations all had significant seizures totaling almost 2,300 pounds of marijuana and over eight pounds of heroin.

Sierra Blanca Agents started the string Wednesday, March 24, when they noticed a man holding hypodermic needles on a bus during an immigration inspection. Further inspection of the U.S. Citizen's belongings revealed eight pounds of heroin hidden in the soles of three pairs of shoes. The drugs were valued at $652,800. The man, who is from El Paso, Texas, and the drugs were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

At 12:30 p.m., also on Wednesday, Agents of the Marfa Station encountered a trash truck from Duncan Disposal of Alpine, at the Highway 67 Checkpoint, south of Marfa. Agents inspecting the truck noticed it had cardboard boxes in it when it normally should have been empty. The back of the truck contained 1,616 pounds of marijuana in bundles, sugar sacks and cardboard boxes valued at $1,293,000. An employee of the company who is a U.S. Citizen resident of Alpine drove the truck. The driver, the truck and the drugs were turned over to DEA for prosecution.

About 1:30 Saturday afternoon, Agents of Marfa Station became suspicious of a vehicle on FM2810 south of Marfa. A previous stop of the vehicle had aroused the Agent's suspicions. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed twenty packages of marijuana found behind the rear seat. The drugs weighed 43.9 pounds and were valued at $35,120. The driver, a U.S. Citizen from Marfa was arrested. The case was turned over to DEA.

Alpine Agents stopped a motor home from Kansas at the Highway 385 Checkpoint about 10:30 p.m. Saturday with three men and a woman, all U.S. Citizens, on board. A search of the vehicle revealed 517 pounds of marijuana valued at $414,000 hidden under a bench seat. The group claimed they were coming from Big Bend National Park. They, along with the drugs and the vehicle, were turned over to U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Marfa Station Agents, following tracks of a group, found seven individuals about 1 p.m. Sunday on a ranch south of Marfa. One of the men ran and managed to escape capture but the other six all admitted to being hired to backpack marijuana from Mexico to Highway 90. Six packs containing 93.75 pounds of marijuana were seized. The men and narcotics were turned over to DEA. The marijuana was valued at $75,000.

Since October 1, 2003, the Marfa Sector has seized over $23 million in drugs including 23,317 pounds of marijuana.

The Border Patrol is a division of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, an agency within the Department of Homeland Security, responsible for managing and securing our nation's borders.