POT-LADEN TRUCK CREATES ARMED STANDOFF

A marijuana-laden dump truck got stuck in the Rio Grande on Thursday
evening in Hudspeth County, leading to a standoff between U.S. law
enforcement and what appeared to be the Mexican military, sheriff
officials said.

"It's a very serious incident," Hudspeth County Chief Deputy Mike Doyal said.

"We are very fortunate (Thursday) night no one got hurt," Doyal said.
"Everyone had the presence of mind not to cause an international
incident, or start shooting."

The incident began when Border Patrol agents tried to stop the dump
truck on Interstate 10, sheriff's officials said. The truck fled to
Mexico in the Neely's Crossing area.

The truck got stuck in the riverbed, and the driver took off running.
Agents "started to retrieve the bundles (of marijuana) when the armed
subjects appeared," said Agent Ramiro Cordero, a Border Patrol spokesman.

The Border Patrol called Hudspeth County sheriff's deputies and Texas
state troopers for backup, both agencies confirmed.

Doyal said the truck driver returned with the armed men, including
men who arrived in official-looking vehicles with overhead lights and
what appeared to be Mexican soldiers in uniform and with military-style rifles.

The Mexican army is used in anti-narcotics operations. Army officials
could not be reached for comment.

The standoff ended when the "soldiers" used a bulldozer to pull the
dump truck into Mexico, sheriff's officials said.

Doyal said the bulldozer is kept in the area and is suspected of
being used to create makeshift paths across the river.

"The 1,850 pounds confiscated (by U.S. authorities) was probably a
third of what was in the truck. The rest went into the Mexican side,"
Doyal said.

Cordero, the Border Patrol spokesman, described the incident as an
"armed encounter with drug smugglers" but would not confirm whether
the Mexican military was involved. Investigations into the incident continue.