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Santa Teresa, N.M. – U.S. Border Patrol agents in Santa Teresa arrested a man wanted for homicide in Texas and seized 281 pounds of marijuana in the same incident during the early morning hours on Saturday.

At approximately 12:30 a.m., on Saturday, Border Patrol agents from the Santa Teresa Border Patrol Station were conducting line watch operations when they observed footprints leading north from the U.S./Mexico boundary line. The agents in conjunction with a Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine helicopter, proceeded to follow the footprints and subsequently located four subjects. A further inspection of the immediate surrounding desert area revealed six burlap backpacks concealed in the brush. The subjects readily admitted to having carried the backpacks from Mexico into the United States.

The subjects and burlap sacks were transported to the Santa Teresa Station for processing and identification. During processing one of the subjects, later identified as 30-year-old Osvaldo Gallardo-Cadena of Mexico, was discovered to have an outstanding warrant for an open count of homicide. The warrant was issued in Amarillo, Texas and police in that area agreed to his extradition to face prosecution.

The green-leafy substance inside the burlap sacks was tested and returned with a positive result to the properties of marijuana. All four subjects and contraband were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration in Las Cruces, N.M., pending their prosecution and extradition of Gallardo-Cadena to Texas.

This most recent arrest exemplifies the ongoing efforts by CBP to continue to work with other law enforcement agencies in an effort to keep criminal activity out of our communities while helping to secure America’s borders.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.