TUCSON, Ariz. – Border Patrol agents assigned to Tucson Sector’s Ajo Station and a Mobile Response Team arrested five illegal aliens and seized more than 200 pounds of marijuana Sunday afternoon near Lukeville, Arizona.
Agents patrolling in a remote area near the international border spotted several men dressed in camouflage and carrying bundles of marijuana on their backs. With assistance from an Air and Marine Operations flight crew, agents on foot caught up with and arrested five Mexican nationals illegally present in the United States, each carrying a bundle of marijuana. The marijuana’s value was estimated at approximately $102,000.
Agents transported the seized marijuana and suspects to the Ajo Station for further processing. The smugglers, ages ranging from 24 to 49, will remain in custody pending a disposition on charges for drug smuggling and immigration violations.
The Mobile Response Team was established to provide the U.S. Border Patrol with a rapidly deployable asset capable of addressing problematic areas along the nation’s borders.
Federal law allows agents to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless or until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials welcome assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol and remain anonymous by calling 1-877-872-7435 toll free.
credit:cbp.gov
