see also: in April 2002:   Congressmen Honor U.S. Customs Employees   U.S. Customs Inspectors in Hidalgo Seize $390,000 in Methamphetamine   U.S. Customs Inspectors in Laredo Arrest Iraqi Fugitive Wanted by FBI in Michigan   U.S. Customs Inspectors, Del Rio, Seize 2,591 Pounds of Cocaine - Largest U.S.-Mexico Border Coke Seizure in FY 2002 To Date   Customs Kids Join Parents on the Job as Part of "Bring Your Child To Work Day" Event   Maryland Woman Arrested for Transporting Over 30,000 Pills ...more

contacts for this news release

Sells, Arizona - It was a busy Monday for U.S. Customs Service Patrol Officers (CPO's) operating from the Sells Office of the Resident Agent in Charge. The Native American trackers seized 1,678 pounds of marijuana and apprehended nine smugglers in four separate incidents. The seized marijuana has an estimated street value of $1,678,000.

The two largest seizures were drug loads that smugglers had abandoned in the desert area north of the Mexican border. The CPO's used all terrain vehicles (ATV's) and global positioning systems (GPS) in locating 761.8 pounds of marijuana south of the village of Covered Wells. In another seizure of abandoned contraband, CPO's and U.S. Border Patrol agents located 371.4 pounds of marijuana approximately three miles east of Federal Route 19 just north of the border.

U.S. Customs officers from the Sells office, the U.S. Customs Service Tucson Air Branch, and the Tohono O'Odham Police Department worked together to seize 297.9 pounds of marijuana. The drugs were discovered approximately four miles east of Vamori village after CPO's followed the carpet-covered footprints of the smugglers north from the border. Four backpackers were taken into custody.

U.S. Customs officers and the Tucson Air Branch worked together again to seize 247 pounds of marijuana and apprehend five smugglers. The seizure was made approximately five miles east of Cold Fields village after the CPO's tracked the smugglers from the border north.