An individual suspected of smuggling drugs into the United States last week plunged into the Rio Grande River in an attempt to flee U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents.
“These drug smugglers are not only endangering our communities with narcotics, but also with the tactics they are using to evade law enforcement,” Manuel Padilla, Jr., chief patrol agent for CBP, said. “Fortunately, no innocent bystanders were injured by this smuggler’s recklessness.”
The incident occurred when Harlingen agents observed a minivan filled with marijuana driving away from the river. As agents closed in on the driver, the driver made a U-turn and headed south. The car then plunged into the river.
Agents approached the river bank, removed the driver from the vehicle and placed the driver under arrest. The vehicle was later extracted from the water and discovered to have approximately eight bundles of marijuana that weighed approximately 1,000 pounds and carried an approximate street value of more than $800,000.
The San Benito Fire Department assisted in efforts and removed the vehicle from the river.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) charged with the management, control and protection of our nation’s borders at and between the official ports of entry.