THERESA, N.Y. – U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Wellesley Island Station seized approximately 68 lbs. of marijuana, smuggled into the United States.
On November 15, Border Patrol agents initiated a traffic stop to perform an immigration inspection on State Route 411. During the inspection and through investigative steps, agents discovered two large garbage bags that contained 65 vacuum sealed packages of marijuana. The packaged marijuana was determined to have a street value of more than $209,000. The trafficking of marijuana in New York state remains illegal under state and federal law.
“Removing smuggled marijuana helps prevent the financial gain that criminal organizations benefit from,” said Patrol Agent in Charge Andrew Regan. “The partnership the Border Patrol has with our local prosecutors is crucial in the removal of illegal narcotics.”
The male driver, a Unites States citizen, and marijuana was turned over to the Metro-Jefferson County Drug Task Force to face charges for Criminal Possession of Cannabis in the first degree. The subject is currently remanded with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
Buffalo Sector is responsible for securing the border between ports of entry in New York and Pennsylvania encompassing 341 linear maritime border miles. The assistance of citizens is invaluable to their border security mission, and they welcome community members to help them keep our nation’s borders safe and report suspicious activity at 1-800-331-0353.
For more on Customs and Border Protection’s mission at our nation’s ports of entry with CBP officers and along U.S. borders with Border Patrol agents, please visit the Border Security section of the CBP website.
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