Nine marijuana suspects caught, drugs seized near Aztec

Border Patrol agents from the Wellton station arrested nine suspected "backpacking" smugglers late last week and seized nearly 300 pounds of marijuana.
 
According to Border Patrol Spokesman Ben Vik, on May 29 at about 2:20 a.m., radar from a mobile surveillance system detected a group of at least seven individuals walking in the vicinity of 56E.
 
"They were out near Phillips Ranch Road, which is East of Aztec," Vik said. "It's been a popular route for years. It is also very dangerous."
 
Vik said agents responded to the area, initially arresting three suspects at the scene and recovering seven bundles of marijuana.
 
"It's a long way from the border to that point," Vik said. "About 60 miles as the crow flies."
 
He said it probably took the suspects about two days of walking to have travelled the distance to where they were caught.
 
Agents tracked the remaining six suspected smugglers, according to Vik, and arrested them later the same day in the same general area.
 
"There is a lot of real estate to cover out there," Vik said.
 
On June 1, at about 5 p.m., the Yuma County Narcotics Task Force was called to the U.S. Border Patrol Station in Wellton. 
 
After conducting an investigation, the Yuma County Narcotics Task Force arrested all nine of the subjects and seized the marijuana. 
 
The marijuana had an estimated street value of $116,160. The nine subjects were booked into the Yuma County Detention Center on charges of transportation/importation of marijuana for sale, possession of marijuana for sale and possession of marijuana.
 
Arrested Were Roberto Medina Arce, 37; Jesus Leon-Trellas, 33; Javier Medina Arce, 40; Manuel Genaro Fuentes-Padilla, 42; Jose Angel, Ramirez-Molina, 30; Omar Alexander Esparaza-Canyedo, 22; Ignacio Chaparro Ortiz, 29; Jesus Javier Morales-Vasquez, 48; and Rafael Padilla Baeza, 35.
 
All nine suspected "backpacking smugglers," are from Guaymas, Mexico.

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James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.