Calexico, California - El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Calexico Station arrested two men suspected of drug smuggling after agents observed the men loading bundles into a fake Imperial Irrigation District work truck on Thursday.

The incident occurred at approximately 11:30 p.m., when a Remote Video Surveillance operator noticed two men make an illegal entry into the United States near the Drop 5 hydroelectric plant on the All-American Canal.

The men loaded large bundles into a waiting pick-up truck being driven by a 25-year-old Mexican national.

Border Patrol agents responded to the area. One of the men, a 32-year-old Mexican national entered the truck’s passenger side while the other man fled into Mexico.

The driver of the truck drove away and failed to yield to Border Patrol agents as they attempted to conduct a vehicle stop. Soon after both men abandoned the truck and attempted to flee into Mexico but were intercepted by Border Patrol agents.

After the arrest agents discovered several large bundles that contained a total of 38 smaller packages of marijuana. The drugs had a combined weight of 674.39 pounds and valued at more than $404,000.

The men, the vehicle, and narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.

In fiscal year 2014, El Centro Sector seized more than 5,713 pounds of marijuana.

The Imperial Irrigation District (IID) was notified of the truck, a 2015 GMC Sierra bearing stolen license plates and fake IID magnetic logos.