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Drug smuggling foiled at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park
Posted: 12.05.2011 at 10:35 AM
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An illegal immigrant from Guatemala is behind bars after being caught smuggling marijuana as part of a group of 20 people at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park.
U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested 20-year-old Afredo Canti-Miss on federal drug charges on Thursday.
The Guatemalan immigrant was part of a group of 20 people spotted walking north of the park's Rio Grande Trail.
Court records show that the drug smugglers scattered leaving behind 49 bundles with about 1,115 pounds of marijuana.
The records show that Border Patrol agents only caught Canti-Miss, who had injured his right foot.
The Guatemalan immigrant told Border Patrol that he crossed the border with a group of illegal immigrants around 5 p.m. Thursday but became separated from the group.
Canti-Miss said he was lost in the woods when he came across the smugglers, who agreed to help him if he carried a load of drugs for them.
The 20-year-old immigrant appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Ormsby in McAllen on Friday morning.
Judge Ormsby denied bond for Canti-Miss until a Wednesday morning hearing.