Packages of marijuana from Mexico seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Otay Mesa cargo facility in San Diego on Nov. 19, 2014. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

Mexican forces seize 5 tons of marijuana from basement near Texas border

MEXICO CITY — State police and marines have seized more than 5 tons of marijuana near the Texas border in the northern Mexican state of Tamaulipas.

The state security coordination group says that the packaged drugs were found in the air-conditioned basement of a home in Camargo.

Authorities seized 1,181 tape-wrapped packages of the sort that are commonly ferried across the Rio Grande in rafts and small boats in the operation.

It is one of the biggest seizures in recent years in the state, which has been the scene of violent drug cartel battles to control the lucrative border crossing routes for several years.

Prior to Wednesday’s seizure, authorities had seized just over 11 tons of marijuana in all of 2017.