Shootout erupts across Rio Grande

U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Rio Grande Valley Sector confiscated more than 8,000 pounds of marijuana Wednesday in three separate seizures ─ during one of which agents were assaulted by smugglers. U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Rio Grande Valley Sector confiscated more than 8,000 pounds of marijuana Wednesday in three separate seizures ─ during one of which agents were assaulted by smugglers. Photo: Courtesy Photo: Courtesy Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close Shootout erupts across Rio Grande 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

BROWNSVILLE — U.S. Border Patrol agents near Rio Grande City exchanged gunfire this week with men on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande during a $3 million marijuana seizure.

Wednesday's shooting was at least the third such incident reported during the past year. No agents were hurt, though it's unknown if there were injuries on the other side.

The gunfight came as federal, state and local law enforcement are acknowledging an increasing threat directly across the narrow river, particularly opposite rural areas in Hidalgo, Starr, Zapata and Webb counties.

Citing that threat, the state Department of Public Safety on Thursday unveiled the second of what will be a fleet of six specially designed gunboats for patrolling the Rio Grande and Intracoastal Waterway.

In Wednesday's gunbattle, the agents were patrolling near Roma when they spotted smugglers loading bundles of marijuana into two vehicles on the riverbank, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a news release.

The smugglers sped toward the approaching agents, who opened fire when the smugglers attempted to run them over.

Gunmen in Mexico then began shooting at the agents, who took measures to protect themselves and returned fire.

CBP said the exchange occurred in a rural area and that at no time were members of the general public in danger.

The smugglers left behind nearly 4,000 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of more than $3 million.

“Assaults on our agents will not be tolerated,” said Chief Patrol agent Rosendo Hinojosa.

“Our agents are well-trained and equipped to deal with these types of volatile situations and they will respond with the appropriate force against all threats.”

The areas along the river are largely private ranches, prime areas for staging smuggling operations and under fierce dispute by the warring Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas.

Smugglers aren't only increasingly brazen but innovative. At about the same time as Wednesday's gunbattle, agents near Rio Grande City discovered an underground concrete bunker containing more than 2,800 pounds of marijuana with a total estimated street value of $2.2 million.

DPS Director Steven McCraw said equipping the boats with machine guns was a necessary step in a drug war that has continued to escalate.

“We have an obligation to protect our troopers,” he said. “You do it with speed, you do it with ballistic protection, and you do it with weapons as well.”

Several border city mayors, the Hidalgo County sheriff, and U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, applauded the capability.

lbrezosky@express-news.net