QUARTER-TON OF POT REPORTED IN SOMERTON POLICEMAN'S CAR

SAN LUIS - A Somerton police officer was caught with more than 500 pounds of marijuana in his car yesterday at the San Luis port of entry, U.S. Customs officials said.

Officer Efrain Trigueras, 26, had been told by a customs agent to pull over for an inspection as he drove into Arizona from Mexico, said Roger Maier, a spokesman for U.S. Customs in Arizona, New Mexico and West Texas. Instead, Trigueras "hit the gas and made a run for it," Maier said.

A U.S. Border Patrol agent detained Trigueras and a passenger, Humberto Tiscareno, 26, about 100 yards from the port of entry.

In the trunk of Trigueras' vehicle, agents found 554 pounds of marijuana in 192 bundles.

"Every available space in the trunk was filled with marijuana," Maier said. "Obviously he was under the belief he would not be examined because there was no effort made to conceal the drugs."