Mexico City, December 22 (RHC-EFE) -- Police seized five tons of marijuana and arrested a suspect in Playas de Rosarito, a city in the northwestern Mexican state of Baja California, officials said.

The Baja California Coordination Group, which includes the Federal Police, state police and army troops, seized the marijuana early Saturday in an area called Primo Tapia.

A 54-year-old man, identified as Jose Guido, was arrested during the operation. A total of 5,022 kilos of marijuana distributed in 290 bales ready for shipment to the United States were seized.

The police officers and soldiers were on patrol when they were tipped off by a citizen that a man was putting large packages in several SUVs in a nearby subdivision.

Police found and arrested the subject, who tried to flee, and confirmed that the bales contained marijuana. The drugs and the suspect were turned over to prosecutors.