see also: in January 2009:   CBP Officers Discover 957 Pounds of Marijuana in Concrete Pipes   CBP Canine Detects $600,000 Worth of Marijuana at Douglas Port   CBP Officers Seize $80,000 of Marijuana at Naco Port of Entry   Border Patrol Stops Vehicle, Leads to Meth Seizure   CBP Officers at Hidalgo/Reynosa International Bridge Seize Fake $20’s Found during Outbound Inspection   Border Patrol Agents Rescue Woman Injured in Car Accident   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers Arrest Wanted Sex Offender ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

contacts for this news release

Tucson, Ariz. - Border Patrol agents from the Tucson, Ariz. sector made two significant drug seizures and recovered of three stolen vehicles in less than two days this week. Both seizures occurred west of State Route 85 between Lukeville and Why, Arizona. The total weight of both seizures yielded more than 2,500 pounds of marijuana.

Tuesday agents assigned to the Ajo Border Patrol Station noticed two suspicious vehicles traveling north on State Route 85 in tandem. As agents attempted to conduct a vehicle stop, the drivers of both vehicles sped away and drove off road into the open desert. A search of the area lead to the discovery of both vehicles abandoned with numerous bundles of marijuana hidden inside. A total of 40 bundles of marijuana, with a weight of over 1,000 pounds, were found. The estimated street value of the marijuana is $832,000. Records checks on both the vehicles, a Lincoln Navigator and Chevrolet Avalanche, revealed that they had previously been reported stolen. The vehicles were turned over to the Pima County Sheriff’s Office for recovery and the marijuana will be turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

	This abandoned truck, camouflaged to be hidden in the desert near Tucson, Ariz., was seized by Border Patrol agents.

Yesterday agents assigned to the Ajo Border Patrol Station responded to a call from a concerned citizen reporting an abandoned vehicle covered with a tarp four miles west of State Route 85. Agents were able to locate the vehicle, a Chevrolet pickup, and a Border Patrol Canine on scene alerted to the presence of narcotics. Agents discovered 64 bundles of marijuana inside the vehicle. The total weight of marijuana was over 1,500 pounds with an estimated weight of $1,201,600. Records checks on the vehicle revealed that it had been reported stolen. The vehicle was turned over to the Pima County Sheriff’s Office for recovery and the marijuana will be turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

	The cab and bed of the pick-up held more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana.

The Border Patrol continues to foil drug smugglers’ attempts to push their narcotics into the interior of the nation. During fiscal year 2008, the Border Patrol seized more than 816, 000 pounds of marijuana. In the first quarter of fiscal year 2009, more than 232,000 lbs of marijuana have been seized.

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.