Posted on 02/19/2007 5:16:53 PM PST by FLOutdoorsman
U.S. Border Patrol agents found more than two tons of marijuana inside two camouflaged trucks Sunday morning west of Casa Grande that a Bureau of Land Management Ranger had been pursuing.
At approximately 6:45 a.m. Sunday, Border Patrol agents responded to near the town of Stanfield to provide assistance to the ranger who was pursuing two trucks covered in camouflage tarps on Stanfield Road near Interstate 8, said Rob Daniels, Border Patrol Tucson Sector spokesman.
The ranger began the pursuit after seeing one truck suspiciously towing the other, Daniels said. When the ranger approached the trucks, one of them rammed the ranger's vehicle.
The drivers of the camouflaged trucks tried to get away and eventually bailed out, escaping into the desert in the area, Daniels said. The ranger wasn't injured, he said.
Agents found 253 bundles of marijuana weighing 4,660 pounds and a loaded .45 pistol inside the abandoned trucks, he said. The first truck, a 2006 GMC truck reported stolen out of San Diego was turned over to the Department of Public Safety and the second truck, a 2004 Chevy, is being processed for forfeiture by the Border Patrol.
The marijuana, which has an estimated value of $4.6 million according to figures from the National Drug Intelligence Center, was turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Agents turned the pistol over to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
Agents didn't make any arrests in connection with the case.
The use of sophisticated camouflage tarps to conceal the loads is something agents are seeing more in the Tucson Sector, Daniels said.
"You can definitely tell that they are built for whatever vehicle they are being used on," Daniels said. "There is some effort there."
Through Jan. 31, the latest figures the agency releases, marijuana seizures were up 31 percent in the Tucson Sector for fiscal year 2007. Seizures in fiscal year 2006 broke all previous records.
"It clearly has not slowed down and we really don't expect any kind of a slow down whatsoever," Daniels said. "We're definitely still being tested."
In another Border Patrol related incident, agents apprehended a group of 82 illegal entrants on the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument about a half mile north of the Camino Del Diablo Road. They were arrested and voluntarily returned to Mexico, he said. Contact reporter Brady McCombs at bmccombs@azstarnet.com or 520-573-4213.
So, I'm guessing that means that successfully smuggled pot in fiscal year 2006 also broke all previous records.
Where were the DA'a and the DHS lackys?
It's a good thing they didn't shoot at them... could have gotten 10 years in the clinker.
So I guess the border patrol agents will get arrested next week or is the AG having trouble finding another drug smuggler to give immunity to so he can testify against them.
"U.S. Border Patrol agents found more than two tons of marijuana inside two camouflaged trucks Sunday morning west of Casa Grande that a Bureau of Land Management Ranger had been pursuing."
Careful guys, too much of that type of work and you might find yourselves in prison getting stomped by illegals in steel-toed boots.
Two tons in two trucks.
That qualifies for double immunity for the smugglers.
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No wetback, drug smuggling, illegals shot in the a$$? Move along, nothing to see here, this isn't the droid we're looking for.
In another Border Patrol related incident, agents apprehended a group of 82 illegal entrants on the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument about a half mile north of the Camino Del Diablo Road. They were arrested and voluntarily returned to Mexico, he said.
Please... let me fix that last sentence...
They were arrested and voluntarily returned to Mexico, where they will stay for at least three or four hours before trying again to break into our country.
They may even get compensated for their troubles along with a hand written letter of apology signed by Al Gonzales.
Probably arresting and prosecuting our Border Patrol agents for racism and hate crimes.
Which meant that they successfully interdicted .0000125% of this weeks shipment.
"So many border agents, so little time." Fed. Pros. Sutton.
So are we winning the War on Some Drugs or losing? ROTFL
Probably because they feared it would cost them their jobs. Even worse - if it turned into a gun battle, they might wind up in prison, and the drug runners would have been given an immunity deal to testify against them.
This seems to be part of the overall plan. When this administration releases law enforcement agencies to do what is necessary to apprehend drug trafficers I'll believe that they are serious about the war on drugs. I guess these agents are lucky that they didn't catch the drug trafficers or the agents would be facing prison time.
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