BP agents make several arrests, seizures
Yuma Sector Border Patrol made several arrests and seized large amounts of contraband in six separate incidents between Thursday and Sunday.
The first incident happened late on Thursday night after a go-cart was observed stopping near a truck near the West Main Canal, after crossing into the U.S. from Mexico over the bridge that spans the Salinity Canal, according to Border Patrol.
An agent approached the two vehicles but the subjects then fled in different directions, Border Patrol said. The agent then began to pursue the pickup that did not yield to lights and sirens as the go-cart returned to Mexico.
The truck was located afterwards stopped at vehicle barrier. The two occupants’ footprints indicated that they had fled to Mexico.
There were several bundles of marijuana found in the rear of the vehicle, totaling 180 pounds with an estimated worth of $90,000.
BP was also called upon for aid by California Highway Patrol on early Friday morning after a suspect bailed out of a stolen vehicle while being pursued by CHP, according to Border Patrol.
The suspect was soon located by agents, taken into custody and turned over to CHP custody, said Border Patrol.
Border Patrol reported another incident that same evening after a vehicle was observed traveling through Dome Valley while in a perceived attempt to circumvent the Interstate 8 checkpoint. After being stopped for immigration inspection it was determined that the male driver of the vehicle was a legal permanent resident and his passenger was a female Mexican national who admitted to being in the U.S. without authorization.
Border Patrol said that the woman would be processed following Yuma Sector guidelines. The vehicle was impounded by the Wellton Police Department for having an expired vehicle registration. He was then cited and released for driving without a license,
Border Patrol also was involved in three incidents on Saturday.
According to Border Patrol, another vehicle was travelling through Dome Valley while attempting to bypass the Interstate 8 checkpoint on Saturday morning. After initially not stopping for emergency lights and sirens on Border Patrol vehicles, it stopped after a brief pursuit. It was determined by agents that the driver and three passengers were Mexican citizens in the U.S. without authorization.
The vehicle was seized and the suspects processed under Yuma Sector guidelines.
Border Patrol agents also assisted the Department of Public Safety in locating a U.S. citizen driving east in the westbound section of Interstate 8 near mile marker 75 earlier that morning, according to the agency. Agents found the driver while driving near Sentinel and attempted to get the operator’s attention with emergency lights and sirens, signals to which he did not respond. DPS then blocked oncoming traffic while Border Patrol agents then successfully spiked the vehicle’s tires to bring it to a stop.
The 84-year-old male was taken into custody by DPS and claimed to be lost and on several different types of medications and unaware that he was driving in the wrong lane, according to Border Patrol.
In another incident that morning, a Yuma Sector canine alerted agents to a vehicle attempting to travel through the Interstate 8 checkpoint. Border Patrol said that a search of the male driver and his vehicle resulted in finding a handgun on his person, 25 pounds of methamphetamine and one and a half pounds of heroin. The methamphetamine is estimated to be valued at $75,000 and the heroin at $21,000.
Border Patrol seized the vehicle while Drug Enforcement Administration agents took custody of the subject, a U.S. citizen, contraband and handgun.