By: The Associated Press April 3, 2014 , 9:20 am


Rep. Ron Barber, D-Tucson. (Cronkite News Service photo by Matthew Standerfer)

TUCSON — A member of Arizona’s congressional delegation says 170 additional Customs and Border Protection officers are being assigned to border ports in southern Arizona.

Representative Ron Barber says the assignment of the additional officers to the ports in Nogales, Douglas and San Luis will help speed the cross-border flow of legal goods.

Barber says bipartisan effort by nearly all members of the Arizona delegation asked the Department of Homeland Security to assign more CBP officers to Arizona ports.

A letter from delegation members said drugs cartels have been increasing smuggling through ports because of a build-up of Border Patrol officers elsewhere along the border.

Barber says 120 CBP officers will be assigned to two border crossings in Nogales and 25 each to the ports in Douglas and San Luis.

http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2014/...g-more-agents/