Border Patrol seizes $1.4 million in pot, AK-47

Four incidents over weekend lead agents to weapon, drugs

Posted Jul 12, 2011

Janet Rose Jackman
TucsonSentinel.com

Border Patrol agents seized 2,819 pounds of marijuana worth more than $1.4 million and an AK-47 with ammunition in separate incidents over the weekend, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Casa Grande agents tracked a two vehicles driving through the desert Friday near Vekol Valley and found 89 bundles of marijuana abandoned near one of the vehicles. The drugs weighed 1,870 pounds with an estimated value of $935,000.

Record checks on the vehicles showed both were stolen in Glendale. They were turned over to the Pinal County Sheriff's Office and the drugs were turned taken to the Border Patrol's Casa Grande Station for processing.

On Saturday, Casa Grande agents working at the S.R. 86 checkpoint noticed two suspicious bundles on the back seat of vehicle. The driver fled when agents directed the driver to a secondary inspection area.

The vehicle later was found abandoned about a mile and a half from the checkpoint, where agents discovered 273 pounds of marijuana worth $136,500. The vehicle and drugs were transported to the Casa Grande Station for processing.

Also on Saturday, Nogales Station's All-Terrain Vehicle Unit agents saw several people fleeing into Mexico while responding to a report of illegal activity on the west side of Nogales.

A search of the area turned up 12 bundles of marijuana, weighing 676 pounds and worth $388,000. The pot was transported to the Nogales Station for processing.

Casa Grande Police officers on Sunday found an abandoned vehicle that had fled earlier in the day from Border Patrol agents. While searching the area, agents found an AK-47 assault rifle and 34 rounds of ammunition. The weapon was turned over to the Pinal County Sheriff's Office and the Border Patrol seized the vehicle.