2,917 Pounds of Marijuana Seized at Texas Checkpoint

Laredo, Texas - Border Patrol agents from the Laredo North station seized 2,917 pounds of marijuana last week. On June 25, agents manning the checkpoint located on Interstate 35 north of Laredo conducted an immigration inspection on the driver of a tractor trailer. While being inspected, a service canine alerted agents to the trailer, indicating the presence of people or contraband. The vehicle was referred for secondary inspection and examined by the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System which uses gamma rays to produce an image similar to an x-ray. The machine detected an anomaly inside the trailer. Agents searched the trailer and found 25 cellophane wrapped bundles stacked among pallets of ceramic tiles. The bundles were determined to be marijuana with a total weight of 2,917.8 pounds and an estimated street value of $2,334,240. The driver, the vehicle and the marijuana were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration. To report suspicious activity such as drug and/or alien smuggling, contact the Laredo Sector Border Patrol toll free telephone number at 1-800-343-1994.