An airborne attempt to smuggle marijuana into the U.S. States was unsuccessful Thursday, federal authorities said Friday.
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In the first incident, ICE agents learned of a possible marijuana smuggling attempt involving ultralight aircraft in an area near Highway 80 and Double Adobe Road, he said.
ICE, Douglas police and the Border Patrol established surveillance in the area and at about 3 a.m., a Border Patrol agent observed an ultralight fly into the area, turn around and fly back to Mexico. Agents saw a vehicle arrive and pick up the marijuana at the drop zone and then drive it back to Douglas, the ICE spokesman said.
Agents and officers were trying to follow the vehicle to its destination when the smugglers became nervous and abandoned the vehicle and the marijuana, agents said. Agents discovered eight bundles of marijuana weighing more than 216 pounds inside, Picard said.
In the second incident, Douglas police officers arrested two Mexican citizens Thursday night at a residence on 16th Street in Douglas after finding 762 pounds of marijuana concealed in a closet, Picard said.
Douglas officers followed a green Chevrolet Avalanche suspected to be used in smuggling operations to the house and then called in ICE to assist with the investigation, the ICE spokesman said.
Francisco Leon Urrea-Castillo, 29, and Jose Alberto Sillas-Aguirre, 32, were arrested after giving Douglas officers and ICE agents permission to search the house, authorities said. Agents said they discovered the marijuana in 35 bales concealed in a closet in a locked bedroom. Both individuals face state charges of possession of narcotics with intent to distribute, Picard said.
The tire treads of the Avalanche matched a set of tire tracks found at another ultralight drop zone approximately a mile from the one at the Highway 80 and Double Adobe Road intersection, leading investigators to believe the same drug smuggling organization was behind both attempts, Picard said.
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