Border Patrol seizes 800 pounds of marijuana

Agents seized more than 800 pounds of marijuana Sunday in three separate incidents in Rio Rico, Amado, and Green Valley, a press release from the U.S. Border Patrol said Tuesday.

Around 6 a.m., agents working near Rio Rico discovered a group of eight illegal immigrants about 12 miles north of the border carrying bundles of marijuana and a rifle, the press release said.

When the group saw the agents approaching, they dropped the contraband and ran into the desert. Agents searched the area but were not able to locate any of the smugglers.

The marijuana, which totalled more than 400 pounds and had a value of $327,200, was turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration. The rifle, a Romanian WASR, including 47 rounds of ammunition, was transported to the Nogales Border Patrol Station for proper disposal, the press release said.

Around 11 a.m., agents working the Interstate 19 checkpoint near Amado, with the help of drug-sniffing dogs, discovered 31 pounds of marijuana hidden beneath the back seat of a vehicle and in a modified gas tank.

The driver, a female Mexican citizen with a legal visa, was arrested and transported to the Nogales Border Patrol Station for further processing, the press release said.

Around 7 p.m., agents working near the Green Valley area observed two suspicious vehicles driving westbound on Elephant Head Road. When they activated their emergency lights and sirens, both vehicles fled south on the Interstate frontage road.

The vehicles then went off-road and all of the occupants ran from the vehicles, the press release said.

Inside the vehicles, agents discovered marijuana with a combined weight of more than 379 pounds and an estimated value of $303,200.

The marijuana was turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration, and both vehicles were processed for seizure by the Border Patrol.

jrichardson@gvnews.com | 547-9726