see also: in January 2003:   U.S. Customs Inspectors Seize 166 Pounds of Marijuana and $180,000 Cash in Shipment of Live Bears   South Texas U.S. Customs Inspectors Seize $7.2 Million in Narcotics This Week   Agents seize 106 Pounds of Marijuana at Checkpoint (pdf - 21 KB.)   Border Patrol Agents Seize 221 Pounds of Marijuana (pdf - 22 KB.)   U.S. Customs Service Inspectors at El Paso Port Stop 11 Drug Shipments Wednesday; Seizures Also Made At Presidio, Santa Teresa and Columbus Ports   Enforcement of 24-Hour Rule Begins February 2   U.S. Customs Service Native American Trackers and Special Agents Seize 2,421 Pounds of Marijuana ...more

contacts for this news release

SELLS, AZ--U.S. Customs Service Native American trackers from the Sells office of investigations have seized 3,660 pounds of marijuana in eight separate incidents since Friday. U.S. Customs Service aviation assets from Tucson and several other law enforcement agencies assisted in a number of the seizures. The seized contraband has an estimated street value of $3,660,000.

The largest of the eight seizures occurred on Sunday when Customs Patrol Officers (CPOs) seized 1,598.3 pounds of abandoned marijuana near Vamori, Arizona. CPOs had tracked a large group of smugglers to a thicket where they recovered the marijuana. No arrests were made.

CPOs made a 434.1 pound marijuana seizure four miles southeast of Vamori on Friday. The trackers followed a group of smugglers for approximately three hours before discovering the abandoned marijuana in a thicket. No arrests were made.

A 402.6-pound marijuana seizure was made on Monday. CPO's responded to assist Tohono O'Odham Police Department officers at a traffic stop on Highway 86 at mile marker 136. Customs special agents arrested the driver of the vehicle, 41-year-old Concepcion B. Moreno of Guadalupe, Arizona, after drugs were discovered in the vehicle.

CPOs, Tucson Aviation units and the Tohono O'Odham Police Department worked together to seize 352.7 pounds of marijuana Saturday after stopping a vehicle at mile marker 130 on Highway 86. Customs special agents arrested the driver of the vehicle, 21-year-old Jack Mendoza-Pereida of San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico.

On Monday, Customs patrol officers seized 293.5 pounds of marijuana following a short pursuit near Federal Route 42 and Gas Line road. Customs Tucson aviation units, the Bureau of Land Management and Tohono O'Odham police assisted. Nine undocumented immigrants were apprehended and turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol.

An abandoned load of 288.8 pounds of marijuana was seized by CPOs Sunday southwest of Covered Wells, Arizona. CPOs tracked a group of approximately six backpackers before discovering their contraband in a wash. No arrests were made.

Customs patrol officers seized 148.0 pounds of marijuana Sunday during a vehicle stop at mile marker 125 on Highway 86. Tohono O’Odham police officers assisted CPOs in the seizure. Customs special agents arrested 18-year-old Adrian Ray Frank of Sells in connection with the seizure.

On Saturday, CPOs seized 145.9 pounds of abandoned marijuana and one vehicle near mile post 134 on Highway 86. Customs Tucson aviation units and the Tohono O'Odham police assisted.