Police Briefs: Nearly $1 million in cocaine seized at international bridge

A Brownsville teen was arrested at B&M International Bridge after Customs and Border Protection officers found more than 29 pounds of cocaine worth nearly $1 million in her vehicle Wednesday afternoon, police said

Maricela Urialez, 17, was arrested and charged by Brownsville police with possession of a cocaine with intent to deliver, said police spokesman Sgt. Manrrique.

Brownsville police is in charge of the case because federal agencies don't prosecute individuals under the age of 18, Manrrique said.

The arrest took place when Urialez drove a 2007 Pontiac Vibe to an inspection booth and was referred to secondary inspection, said a CBP press release.

At the secondary inspection officers used Jackhammer, a drug detecting canine, to confirm the presence of drugs in the vehicle's dashboard area, where an intensive search revealed 20 packages of the illegal drug, CBP said.

Urialez told police she was driving the car for a friend and said she knew the vehicle had "some kind of illegal drug" hidden inside, Manrrique said.

The drugs have a street value of $938,000, CBP said.

Border Patrol seizes nearly 100 pounds of marijuana

U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested two men who were walking on the streets of Brownsville with almost 100 pounds of marijuana on their backs, said court documents.

Moises Padilla Jerez and Luis Salas Sanchez were charged with possession with intent to distribute 45.30 kilograms of marijuana, records show. The ages of both Padilla and Salas were not available at press time Thursday.

The arrests took place when Border Patrol agents were notified Tuesday afternoon of three subjects travelling northbound on Parral Street near the B&M Port of Entry, USBP said.

The agents observed the subjects carrying duffel bags on their backs; as the agents approached them the men tried to conceal themselves in the brush area, court record show.

Inside the backpacks agents found 19 bundles of marijuana with a total weight of 99.65 pounds of marijuana, USBP said.

According to value tables used by federal agencies, the street value of the marijuana is almost $100,000.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Felix Recio set bond for Padilla and Salas at $250,000 each.