Two Mexican nationals suspected of trying to smuggle more than 1,200 pounds of marijuana across the border were arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents over the weekend.
The agents spotted a suspicious sport utility vehicle traveling near the border Saturday night about 17 miles west of Calexico, a press statement issued Monday read.
The SUV fled in a northerly direction from the border when nearby agents were alerted, but the Border Patrol’s statement did not specify what made agents suspicious about the SUV.
When the SUV got stuck in the sand, the driver and a passenger abandoned the vehicle and tried crossing back into Mexico but were caught, the statement read.
Agents searched the SUV and found 51 packages of marijuana with an estimated value of $960,000.
Both the driver and passenger were arrested and turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration along with the SUV and the marijuana.
Deputy requested
NILAND - A caller who had been drinking requested to speak to a sheriff’s deputy Sunday about a past sexual molestation incident that took place in Kentucky in 1998. The call came from the Slabs area.
The caller identified the alleged molester, which was a name the caller got through friends, but the caller was advised to gather accurate information and to contact authorities in Kentucky.
Disturbance reported
SEELEY - A 44-year-old man was reportedly threatening to get his shotgun from his bedroom and “kill someone if he goes to jail tonight” Sunday in a call reported to sheriff’s authorities at 10:45 p.m.
The call appeared in a log entry of the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office and occurred in the 1700 block of El Centro Avenue.
The caller told authorities that the man had been drinking and was in his bedroom with his father who was trying to calm him down.
The man was upset at the caller for calling sheriff’s authorities and the line was disconnected. No other information was available about the call.
Staff Writer Silvio J. Panta can be reached at 760-337-3442 or at spanta@ivpressonline.com
