Imperial Valley News

Campo, California - Last night, gunshots were fired from south of the border fence in Campo, Calif. as Border Patrol agents secured a load of marijuana and arrested a suspected smuggler.

At about 7:30 p.m., agents responded to a pair of suspected illegal aliens north of the border near State Route 94. Agents were able to apprehend one of the suspects, a 27-year-old Mexican national, while the other suspect fled south into Mexico.

While the suspect was taken into custody, the sound of three gunshots rang from south of the border fence. The gunfire, which agents suspect came from a small-caliber handgun, did not cause any known injuries.

	Border Patrol agents in Southern California seized 200 pounds of marijuana near the border. Smugglers fired shots as the seizure was occurring.

Agents then discovered a small suitcase and two makeshift backpacks that contained a total of 27 bundles of marijuana in the nearby brush where the suspects were originally spotted. The marijuana weighed 116.5 pounds and has an estimated street value of $93,200.

In a separate incident, agents made another marijuana seizure in Campo early this morning. At about 3 a.m., an agent on routine patrol discovered three makeshift backpacks containing nine large bundles of marijuana. The total weight of the marijuana was 200.7 pounds and has an estimated street value of $160,560.

Both marijuana loads and the suspected smuggler were turned over to a multi-agency, anti-drug task force.

The Border Patrol is aware of the recent spike in violence in Mexico and continues to utilize appropriate protocols to ensure the safety of agents and the public while maintaining a strong operational posture on the border.