Border Patrol wrapup

Posted Jun 21, 2011

Janet Rose Jackman
TucsonSentinel.com

Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents seized 26 pounds of pot and arrested two Americans when they responded to a car accident near Avra Valley on Monday.

The agents saw a passenger run from the vehicle toward the desert with a package of what they suspected was marijuana, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.

The agents caught the passenger and found the package was 26 pounds of pot worth $13,000. The passenger and the driver, both U.S. citizens, were arrested and held on federal drug charges.

In other activity in the Tucson Sector over the past 48 hours, provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection:

Arrests

On Monday, Nogales Station agents apprehended an illegal immigrant from Sinaloa, Mexico, who admitted past ties to the 18th Street and Sureño gangs. An Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System check found the suspect had a history of drug convictions in California. He was held for prosecution.

Rescues

The Border Patrol Search, Trauma and Rescue unit responded Monday to a call about two suspects walking north of Sells. Agents found one was suffering from severe dehydration and was taken to a hospital for treatment.

On Tuesday morning, Casa Grande station agents found an illegal immigrant suffering from dehydration and notified EMS for aid. The person was taken to the hospital for further treatment.

Assists

Casa Grande Station agents assisted Tohono O’odham Police officers with a rollover accident Monday evening on S.R. 86, about 20 miles east of Sells. An occupant of the vehicle was thrown from the car during the rollover and treated by EMS responders at the scene. Two other occupants were taken to the hospital for evaluation.