DEA: Smugglers throwing marijuana over border fence

BROWNSVILLE - Federal agents arrested a man and a teenage male who had placed a ladder against the border fence and were in the process of throwing several bundles of marijuana over it, court documents state.

Javier Martinez and a 16-year-old male were arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol on Sunday morning along the border wall south of La Paloma. The teenager remained in custody of USBP pending further investigation, while Martinez was turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Martinez was charged with one count possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and one count of conspiracy to posses a controlled substance with intent to deliver, said a criminal complaint filed by the DEA.

The age of Martinez and his place of residence were not listed in public records.

On Monday morning, Martinez went before U.S. District Judge Felix Recio who ordered he be held without bond pending a detention hearing this Friday.

The arrest took place when USBP agents, using remote surveillance equipment, spotted several males moving across the Rio Grande with large bundles on their backs, the DEA said.

Agents converging on the scene saw Martinez on top of a ladder throwing bundles over the border fence; the teenager was holding the ladder and several other males were passing the bundles to Martinez, documents show.

Upon seeing the agents arrive, the unnamed men ran into Mexico, while USBP agents arrested Martinez and the teenager and seized seven bundles of marijuana weighing more than 390 pounds, the DEA said.

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