Men arrested after swimming across All-American Canal with 145 lbs. of pot

El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents arrested three Mexican citizens Tuesday night after discovering nearly 150 lbs. of marijuana in their pickup truck.

According to the Border Patrol’s release, agents assigned to the Calexico Station saw two men swimming across the All-American Canal with three large burlap sacks around 10 p.m. The men continued north along an irrigation canal towards a field road.

Just before 11 p.m., agents saw a 2003 Dodge Ram stop and pick up the two men.

Agents said they pulled over the pickup at the intersection of Menvielle Road and Carr Road. The truck was driven by a 36-year-old man, and a 17-year-old male and 45-year-old man were in the bed of the pickup.

Agents found 145.1 lbs. of marijuana in the burlap sacks, which they said is estimated to cost over $87,000.

All three of the men were turned over to the Imperial County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force for further investigation.

Agents said during the last fiscal year, El Centro Sector seized more than 5,700 lbs. of marijuana.