By Brady McCombs
The Arizona Daily Star
TUSCON, Ariz. — U.S. Border Patrol agents seized more than 1,700 pounds of marijuana in two incidents late Tuesday and early Wednesday and arrested two convicted sex offenders in the last week.
Early Wednesday, an agent working near Federal Route 20 northwest of Sells on the Tohono O’odham Reservation spotted a Chevrolet Avalanche traveling on a dirt road commonly used by smugglers, according to an agency press release.
The agent attempted to stop the truck, but the driver turned north onto another dirt road and continued north for another half-mile before pulling into the desert and bailing out. He ran into the desert.
The agent waited until additional agents arrived before inspecting the truck. They found 99 bundles of marijuana weighing 1,130 pounds inside.
The second major seizure occurred Tuesday night about one mile north of the border east of Douglas, the release said.
Agents saw a Dodge Ram truck cross the border and head toward town. They put down a spike strip and deflated the four tires, bringing the truck to a halt.
Agents saw two people get out of the truck and head to Mexico. They found 590 pounds of marijuana inside, the release said. The truck had been reported stolen out of Phoenix.
The 1,720 pounds of marijuana have an estimated value of $989,000, according to figures from the National Drug Intelligence Center.