Area CBP Officers Nab 10 Fugitives During Weekend Period

(Tuesday, November 06, 2012)

El Paso, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers working at ports of entry in El Paso, west Texas and southern New Mexico this weekend apprehended 10 people being sought by law enforcement.

“The CBP inspection process is thorough and complete and frequently generates fugitive apprehensions,” said El Paso Director of Field Operations David Higgerson. “Fugitives entering or leaving the country are subject to inspection and if they are wanted by law enforcement they will be taken into custody by CBP.”

The most significant weekend apprehension was made at the Presidio port of entry Friday night. CBP officers were inspecting people and vehicles leaving the U.S. when they encountered a Chrysler PT Cruiser with two occupants attempting to enter Mexico. CBP officers noted that the occupants were nervous and initiated a more thorough exam.

During their search they learned that the passenger, 18-year-old Ivan Galindo of Odessa, Texas, was wanted in Midland on attempted murder charges. The warrant for his arrest was entered into a database CBP uses to query border crossers early in the day. Galindo was taken into custody without incident and turned over to the Presidio Police Department before being transported and booked into the Presidio County Jail.

“The primary focus of our outbound inspections is to stop and disrupt the southbound flow or weapons, ammunition, unreported currency and other export violations however they do also uncover fugitives attempting to leave the United States,” said Higgerson.

CBP officers working at area ports made nine additional National Crime Information Center (NCIC) apprehensions during the weekend including people being sought on drug charges and locating a pair of missing juveniles. Area CBP officers also made eight marijuana seizures totaling 1,074 pounds from Friday through Sunday.

While anti-terrorism is the primary mission of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the inspection process at the ports of entry associated with this mission results in impressive numbers of enforcement actions in all categories.

For more information on CBP please tune in to AM radio 530 (Ysleta/Zaragosa area) or AM Radio 1620 (Bridge of the Americas/Paso Del Norte area). These low power radio stations continuously broadcast CBP related border crossing information in English and Spanish.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Area CBP Officers Nab 10 Fugitives During Weekend Period - CBP.gov