Border Patrol's pot seizures in the Valley up sharply

BORDER PATROL | DRUG SEIZURES

U.S. Border Patrol agents seized more than 33,700 pounds of marijuana in various drug seizures throughout the Rio Grande Valley over the past two weeks.

The largest seizure - 9,146 pounds - occurred at the Falfurrias checkpoint on Jan. 20.

Other significant seizures included one on Jan. 19 near La Rosita, where agents confiscated 6,183 pounds, and another on Sunday at the Sarita checkpoint, where agents confiscated 1,949 pounds.

The agency conducted several seizures Friday in or near Brownsville, Palmview, Progreso and Garceno. Those seizures totaled 3,342 pounds.

Border Patrol's Valley sector logged a 280 percent increase in marijuana seizures, compared to the 8,650 pounds seized during the same period last year, according to a news release from the agency.

____

Monitor staff writer Ana Ley compiled this report.