see also: in January 2002:   U.S. Customs Agents Search Wire Transfer Firm Suspected of Sending Millions to Iraq in Violation of Embargo   U.S. Customs Names New Assistant Commissioner, Congressional Affairs   U.S. Customs Service Inspectors Locate 1,700 Pound Marijuana Load   U.S. Customs Publishes List of First Disbursements Under the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000   Area U.S. Customs Service Officers Seize More Than Two Tons of Marijuana   Customs Heroin, Cocaine Seizures Up   International Customs Day ...more

contacts for this news release

Brownsville, Tex. -- U.S. Customs Inspectors seized one of the largest loads of marijuana at the port of entry in the past few years during a routine examination of a bus on Tuesday.

A U.S. Customs Inspector referred a 1986 Dina luxury bus for a secondary examination. During the examination, a non-intrusive X-ray scan indicated an anomaly in the rear part of the bus. Upon further examination, Inspectors found bundles of marijuana behind the bus' rear wall. Inspectors seized a total of 2,544 pounds of marijuana. The marijuana has an estimated street value of $2.5 million.

The driver, Salvador Enciso-Ortega, 49, a Mexican national from Coacalco, was arrested on federal charges of importation, conspiracy to possess a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and making false statements.

U.S. Customs Special Agents brought Enciso-Ortega for an initial appearance today before a federal magistrate. Enciso-Ortega was ordered held without bond pending a detention hearing scheduled for Friday.

Margie Gutierrez, U.S. Customs Port Director, Brownsville, praised the Inspectors work in taking down one of the largest loads at the port of entry in recent years. "This is an awesome amount of narcotics to be seized in the passenger vehicle environment," Gutierrez said. "Our Inspectors utilized their experience and non-intrusive inspection technology and achieved excellent results."