HARLINGEN, Texas −− Border Patrol agents saved the lives of two narcotics smugglers who crashed their vehicle when they refused to stop for agents Wednesday morning.
Vehicle narcotic smugglers were driving
The incident occurred when Harlingen Station agents observed marijuana being loaded into a burgundy colored minivan near the community of El Ranchito, south of San Benito on Military Highway 281. Agents attempted to stop the minivan as it left the area; however, the driver attempted to evade agents and sped away, at which time he lost control and struck a tree. As the agents arrived at the accident site, they extracted one individual from the vehicle and removed another from the immediate area before it was fully engulfed in flames. Three bundles of marijuana, weighing 140 pounds with an estimated value of more than $112,000 were seized from the vehicle as well.
Both subjects were taken to local hospitals for unknown injuries. The Brownsville Police Department has taken over the accident investigation.
The Rio Grande Valley Sector is part of the South Texas Corridor, which leverages federal, state and local resources to combat transnational criminal organizations. To report suspicious activity, call the sector’s toll-free telephone number at 800-863-9382.