see also: in February 2009:   CBP Officers in Niagara Falls Arrest Fugitive Wanted on Drug Charges   CBP Discovers Illegal Aliens Hidden in Vehicle's Water Tank, Speaker Box   Border Patrol Nets 68 Pounds of Cocaine in Latest Seizure   CBP Officers Seize More than $665,000 in Cocaine at Brownsville Port of Entry   CBP Commissioner W. Ralph Basham Retires   El Paso Area CBP Officers Apprehend Louisiana Suspect Wanted for Attempted Murder and 39 Other Fugitives   Trusted Traveler Participant in New York Arrested with Child Pornography ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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Sumas, Wash. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Sumas port of entry seized 1,746 pounds of high grade marijuana concealed within the floors of a cattle trailer on February 17 and arrested Edwin Roy Fuller, 39, of Langley, British Columbia.

	Cattle trailer being unloaded of 1,746 pounds of high grade marijuana.

Fuller, a commercial truck driver, arrived at the port importing a load of beef cattle destined for Stanwood, Wash., when he was selected for an intensive inspection. The cattle were off loaded and the trailer was examined using a gamma x-ray imaging device which discovered inconsistencies in the lower and upper decks of the trailer.

CBP officers then entered the trailer and immediately noticed a space discrepancy in the interior indicating the possibility of a built up compartment in the floor. Officers scraped off the natural byproduct of cows and endured the associated odors to unbolt false panels which concealed hundreds of plastic bags of marijuana beneath.

	Officers in Sumas discover bundles “BC Bud” in the floor of a cattle trailer.

The drugs, known as “BC Bud”, a highly potent form of marijuana cultivated in British Columbia, Canada, and can sell for $3,500-$6,000 a pound in the United States.

“We will continue to be vigilant in our mission of protecting the homeland from terrorists and the criminal elements that would harm our society,” said Area Port Director Pat Hinchey. “And while it is not everyday we discover drugs hidden under cow flop, it does have its own unique sweet smell of success.”

At first the bags of marijuana were tossed from the trailer into a few evidence boxes which were quickly overwhelmed by the cascading flow of seized contraband until a large mound of bags was formed on the ground beside the trailer. Eventually all the marijuana was packaged in to 69 large boxes which had to be placed back into the cow trailer for transportation to a secured repository vault.

Fuller was taken into custody on site by CBP officers and turned over to agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Seattle. ICE is conducting the criminal investigation.

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.