U.S. Border Patrol on the Texas-Mexico border station confiscated more than $10 million worth of drugs during the last few days.
Over $7.2 million worth of cocaine and more than $1.7 million worth of marijuana in multiple seizures Thursday night and early Friday morning at the Rio Grande city station.
Officers working at the El Paso port of entry Thursday, made a 79.64 pound cocaine seizure.
“Our CBP officers working hand in glove in inspections together with Border Patrol agents in our Anti-Terrorist Contraband Enforcement Team have been making excellent interceptions and this is an impressive seizure to add to their accomplishments,” said Hector Mancha, CBP El Paso Port Director.
On Thursday evening, agents saw several people crossing the Rio Grande from Mexico and walk through a wooded area near Escobares, Texas. Smugglers fled into the thick brush, leaving behind nearly 230 pounds of cocaine.
That same night, agents working near Rio Grande City followed fresh footprints to an abandoned trailer where they detected a strong odor of marijuana. Agents found more than 1,100 pounds of marijuana inside.
Friday morning, smugglers fled a pickup truck and crossed the Rio Grande River into Mexico leaving behind more than 1,000 pounds as they were confronted by agents near Fronton, Texas.
The El Paso seizure occurred when a 1999 Ford Windstar arrived at the port from Mexico. CBP canine teams and Border Patrol Agents were conducting a sweep of vehicles waiting in line at the international crossing.
“Shake,” a CBP drug sniffing dog alerted to the vehicle. Officers found a non-factory compartment in the floor area of the vehicle. They drilled into the compartment and removed a white substance that tested positive for cocaine. A total of 20 cocaine-filled bundles were found in the compartment.
CBP officers arrested the driver, 32-year-old Brenda Molina Sanchez a U.S. Citizen of El Paso. She was turned over to ICE-HSI special agents after the case was accepted for federal prosecution and booked into the El Paso County jail. She remains in custody and is being held without bond.
Raised in San Antonio, Jack Dennis' early experiences were as a newspaper reporter and private investigator. With a Texas State University bachelor's degree, Jack studied journalism and won numerous awards, including Investigative Reporter of 1976 from Rocky Mountain Press Association.
Jack has interviewed Elvis Presley, Clint Eastwood, Justin Timberlake, Buzz Aldrin, B.B King, and Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Jack co-founded Professional Retail Store Maintenance Association (PRSM) and was elected President to establish PRSM magazine. Jack is the CFO of Cent’Anni Wellness Communications.
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