Sensors help border agents thwart $2.6 million ecstasy smuggling

Sensors installed along the U.S.-Canada border are proving useful. CBP reports that the other night Border Patrol agents from the Washington State’s Blaine sector thwarted two separate smuggling attempts to bring in over 240,000 tablets of ecstasy with a total value of $2,644,000 from Canada into the United States. Nothing very unusual here, except this: After an electronic sensor activation along the border, Blaine Border Patrol agents observed a vehicle leaving an area that is notorious for narcotics smuggling. Agents followed the vehicle south into Ferndale, a community about fifteen miles south of the border. Sight of the vehicle was lost for about fifteen minutes, but the vehicle was soon found abandoned on Elder Road.

Border Patrol canine units quickly responded to the abandoned vehicle and alerted to the presence of narcotics located in a black duffel bag in the trunk of the vehicle. Within the bag were twenty large vacuum sealed bags containing tablets of ecstasy and a set of night vision goggles. A total of 100,000 tablets of ecstasy with a total value of $1,200,000 were seized.

On a separate incident near Sumas, Washington, Border Patrol agents responded to a remote video surveillance report of a suspicious vehicle lurking close to the Canadian border just west of Sumas in an area popular for drug smuggling. Agents stopped the vehicle leaving this area and with consent from the driver conducted a search of the vehicle and two conspicuous suit cases seen in the rear cargo area. A total of 120,000 tablets of Ecstasy valued at $1,440,000 were discovered inside the suitcases.

“This clearly shows our ability to rapidly respond to simultaneous threats occurring along our border,” commented Chief Bates of the Blaine Sector. The DEA took custody of the suspects, vehicles and contraband.