U.S. Fines Railroad for Drug Loads

(CN) - Union Pacific Railroad failed to prevent its railcars from being used to smuggle big loads of drugs into the United States, federal prosecutors say. Complaints filed in California and Texas allege that Border Patrol officers found more than 2 tons of marijuana and 117 kilos of cocaine on Union Pacific cars.

The government fined Union Pacific $37 million, but the largest railroad in North America refused to pay, prosecutors said. Uncle Sam begs to differ.

The loads allegedly were smuggled through ports of entry at Calexico, Calif., and Brownsville, Texas. Union Pacific also operates in Mexico.

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