CUSTOMS REPORTS RECORD AMOUNT OF DRUG SEIZURES IN FISCAL 2001

LAREDO, Texas (AP) - Increased staffing, better equipment and improved
government coordination helped U.S. Customs agents working along the border
seize a record 159 tons of drugs during the 2001 fiscal year.

There were 1,602 seizures at 10 points of entry in Texas.

About 310,000 pounds of marijuana, 213 pounds of heroin, 6,682 pounds of
cocaine and 133 pounds of methamphetamine were recovered.

Marijuana seizures increased by 34 percent compared to fiscal year 2000,
while heroin seizures increased a dramatic 933 percent. Cocaine seizures
were up slightly and methamphetamine seizures were slightly down.

Customs officials also seized $6.7 million in unreported currency.

"The figures stand for themselves. Surely this has to have an impact on the
cartels," said Gurdit Dhillon, U.S. Customs Director of Field Operations
for South Texas.

Nationally, the amount of illegal drugs stopped at the U.S. border rose 16
percent, with Customs inspectors confiscating 1.79 million pounds of
illegal drugs in fiscal year 2001, compared with 1.54 million pounds the
previous year.

The 2001 fiscal year runs from Oct. 1, 2000 to Sept. 30, 2001.

The increase in drugs seized last year occurred even as the total number of
travelers going through customs declined.

The service said roughly 473 million travelers passed through customs at
airports, seaports and border crossings in fiscal 2001, compared with about
488 million in 2000.