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 ...more on cbp.gov:   Press Officers

contacts for this news release

SELLS, AZ--U.S. Customs Service Patrol Officers (CPOs) and Customs Special Agents from the Sells office of investigations seized 2,421 pounds of marijuana in seven separate incidents Tuesday. The Tohono O'Odham Police Department (TOPD) assisted in several of the seizures. The estimated street value of the seized contraband is $2,421,000.

The largest seizure of the day netted 513.2 pounds of marijuana. Customs special agents, CPOs and TOPD officers discovered the marijuana in an abandoned 1994 Chevrolet S-10 pickup parked outside a residence in Sells. No arrests were made and the investigation continues.

Customs special agents from Three Points and CPOs seized 503.5 pounds of marijuana and arrested 24-year-old Leonardo Estrada-Delean of Tucson in connection with the incident. The drugs were in discovered in a 2001 Chevrolet van near the intersection of Highway 86 and Sandario Road.

Customs special agents, CPOs and TOPD officers seized 356.6 pounds of marijuana at a residence in Sells while executing a search warrant. No arrests were made and the investigation continues.

Customs Native American Trackers seized 348.1 pounds of marijuana and took three Mexican men into custody after tracking a group of smugglers for five miles through the desert. The smugglers were wearing carpet on their shoes in an attempt to conceal their tracks and had buried the marijuana in a wash before it was discovered. Those arrested include 22-year-old Mario Caraved-Salazar; 36-year-old Dagoberto Padilla-Ripalda; and 29-year-old Alejandro Pacheco-Rodriguez, all of Nogales, Sonora.

CPOs and Customs special agents seized 275.9 pounds of marijuana from a rental storage facility in Sells. Customs special agents arrested 33-year-old Cynthia Marie Enriquez of Sells in connection with the seizure.

CPOs, customs special agents and TOPD officers seized 267.2 pounds of marijuana from an abandoned 1984 Chrysler Fifth Avenue in Crowhang Village on the Tohono O'Odham nation. No arrests were made and the Customs special agents and CPOs seized 157.0 pounds of marijuana from an abandoned vehicle in Sells. No arrests were made and the investigation continues.