WELLTON, AZ -- Authorities say U.S. Border Patrol agents seized nearly $800,000 worth of marijuana over the weekend in a remote area of southwest Arizona.
Border Patrol Agent Shaun Kuzia said that on Saturday agents assigned to a Yuma area base spotted nine individuals entering about 30 miles west of the Lukeville port of entry.
Kuzia said when agents closed in on the group the suspected smugglers dropped several burlap sacks loaded with marijuana and ran into nearby mountains.
Agents tracked the group through the mountains until agents in the Ajo area took over the search.
On Sunday morning, agents reportedly detected another group of suspected drug smugglers near the same area.
Agents found eight more burlap sacks of marijuana and were able to locate and arrest the group of seven suspects, Kuzia said.
Border Patrol agents discovered another six burlap sacks containing plastic-wrapped bundles of marijuana late Monday evening. The bundles had been abandoned in the same area.
Kuzia said over the last three days agents assigned to the Camp Grip area seized a total of 993 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $794,480.
Camp Grip is the Border Patrol Yuma's Sector's tactically deployed forward operating base that is designed to gain operational control of the remote border area between the Yuma and Tucson sectors, according to Kuzia.
