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Musta been trying to import stuff for Christmas presents  

Alpine Border Patrol agents seize over 1,500 pounds of marijuana
MARFA – December 5th was a busy day for Border Patrol (BP) agents assigned to the Alpine Station. Agents following foot tracks apprehended five men carrying 292 pounds of marijuana and then found 1,259 pounds in a pickup truck.

Tuesday morning agents came across more shoe prints left by a group walking north on the east side of Elephant Mountain in Brewster County.
They were able to follow the tracks and with the help of a Customs and Border Protection aircraft found the men hiding in a thicket. All five of the detainees were citizens of Mexico. The marijuana was wrapped in brown packing tape and was being carried in sugar sacks.

Soon after midnight while on patrol east of Alpine BP agents observed a vehicle traversing a ranch road sans lights. When the driver of the suspect vehicle, a 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe SUV, spotted the patrol vehicle he turned and attempted to flee at a high rate of speed.

Agents followed until the driver slowed and a permitted a passenger to attempt an escape into the brush. BP agents followed and apprehended the man while other BP officers continued to pursue the suspect vehicle; they were finally able to arrest the driver after his vehicle careened to a halt and he attempted to vault away into the brush.

The driver of the vehicle was a U.S. citizen from San Angelo, Texas, but the passenger was a citizen of Mexico who had entered the U.S. illegally. The Tahoe contained 1,259 pounds of marijuana wrapped in cellophane and brown packaging tape. Both of the marijuana traffickers were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Regional U.S. CBP officers seize drugs and prohibited food this week
EL PASO – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers performing anti-terror inspections at El Paso area border ports of entry seized more than a ton of illegal drugs, nabbed more than three dozen fugitives from justice, and stopped more than 80 illegal immigration attempts this week.

Area CBP officers made a total of 26 drug busts at local ports. The seizure activity included the confiscation of 2,207 pounds of marijuana in 25 situations and 7.9 pounds of cocaine in an additional seizure.

CBP officers nabbed a total of 43 “wanted” people while performing anti-terror inspections. A total of 423 fugitives have been nabbed at local border crossings since the beginning of the current fiscal year.

The rate of fugitive apprehensions is outpacing the totals from previous years. CBP officers working near El Paso apprehended 1,288 fugitives during fiscal year 2006. For the second year in a row CBP officers have apprehended more than 1,200 wanted individuals.

Officers working at the border ports of entry in El Paso, western Texas and New Mexico apprehended a total of 81 people who were attempting to illegally enter the U.S. at border ports of entry during the past seven days.

CBP officers identified 35 intended immigrant cases (people with legitimate entry documents intending to live/work illegally in the U.S.), 18 false claims for U.S. citizenship, 25 imposters (people using a legitimate document not assigned to the person), two people attempting to enter the U.S. with counterfeit, fraudulent or altered entry documents, and one visa overstay violation.

Area CBP officers made 16 food and agricultural seizures this week, resulting in $3,850 in penalties being assessed. Prohibited items seized this week included raw pork, chorizo, bologna, eggs, apples, oranges, tangerines, avocados, guavas, potatoes, sugar cane and live plants. The interception of these prohibited items are an important element in preventing the introduction of pests and resultant infections that pose a risk to U.S. agricultural interests and natural resources.

In addition to the above activity, area CBP officers this week also identified 6 illegal export violations, generating $3,800 in penalties. The prevention and fighting of terrorism is the primary mission of the CBP. Thorough anti-terrorism inspections at border ports of entry continue to generate quality enforcement activity across the region.

CBP seizes marijuana, horses get away
MARFA – Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol Agents of the Van Horn Station seized over 900 pounds of marijuana and one individual but another person on horseback and the five horses used to transport the drugs got away.

The agents found a Mexican citizen and ten burlap sacks in a barn south of Van Horn. The 906 pounds of marijuana has a street value of $725,000. The 31 year-old man and the drugs were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

This year Border Patrol agents of the Marfa Sector have seized over 58,000 pounds of marijuana and over 227 pounds of cocaine. The Sector has also apprehended more than 6,500 illegal aliens during the same period.