Thread: Mexican Govt. Military Helicopter enters AZ Tues Evening

http://sun.yumasun.com/artman/publish/a ... _22573.php

Courts and Police

Mexican incursion confirmed
BY JEFFREY GAUTREAUX, SUN STAFF WRITER
Feb 23, 2006



The U.S. Border Patrol has confirmed that a Mexican government helicopter crossed into the United States Tuesday evening.

The unmarked helicopter crossed into the U.S. near San Luis, Ariz., at 6:30 p.m. and traveled along the Colorado River for approximately a half a mile before returning to Mexico, according to a Customs and Border Protection release.

"After proper coordination and verifications with the government of Mexico, they confirmed that the helicopter belonged to the Mexican Attorney General's Office (PGR) and had mistakenly and unintentionally crossed into U.S. airspace," the release said.

PGR is the federal police force that investigates federal offenses, predominantly drug trafficking and organized crime.

Local border watcher Flash Sharrar, who saw the helicopter while on patrol near County 12th Street, remained steadfast that the helicopter was carrying Mexican soldiers, not federal agents. "That was Mexican military," he said. "You could see the uniforms."

Sharrar, the co-founder of the Yuma Patriots, said the chopper traveled much farther than a half-mile while it was in the United States. He said it was circling in U.S. airspace for as long as 20 minutes.

Yuma sector Border Patrol spokesman Michael Gramley said this was the first incursion by a Mexican helicopter that he could recall in the Yuma sector. Gramley did not have any information beyond that which was provided in the report.

"I think it's happened more often than we really know," Sharrar said.

Sharrar said if the Patriots had not witnessed the incursion, the Border Patrol would have denied that it happened.

Gramley said that would not be the case. "We would surely not attempt to cover up an incident of this type," he said.

Tuesday evening, Gramley said agents in the field had seen the helicopter. However, at the time, they believed that it had not crossed the border. Later, CBP's Air Marine Operations Center was notified and radar confirmed the helicopter had flown into the United States.

Last month, the Inland Valley (Calif.) Daily Bulletin reported that there had been 216 incursions into the United States by Mexican soldiers since 1996, citing a Department of Homeland Security document the newspaper obtained. The story said the Mexican military had crossed over in the Yuma area 24 times during that period.

CBP said the agency and Mexico take such incidents seriously and are working to ensure they do not occur in the future.

Sharrar said he was "still in awe" that the incursion had happened. When asked if he felt vindicated, Sharrar said instead he felt "violated."

"Let's say it was a terrorist dropping something into our country," he said. "That's a big concern. I feel violated as a citizen and as a patroller."

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The unmarked helicopter crossed into the U.S. near San Luis, Ariz., at 6:30 p.m. and traveled along the Colorado River for approximately a half a mile before returning to Mexico, according to a Customs and Border Protection release.

They were just checking to see if it was clear of the coyotes and drug smugglers to cross.

This would not have happened in South Korea.

Oh wow, I won't even say what should of happened to that helicopter once it was on U.S. soil, I don't think I need to everyone is thinking what I am thinking...

Originally Posted by JohnB2012

The unmarked helicopter crossed into the U.S. near San Luis, Ariz., at 6:30 p.m. and traveled along the Colorado River for approximately a half a mile before returning to Mexico, according to a Customs and Border Protection release.

They were just checking to see if it was clear of the coyotes and drug smugglers to cross.

This would not have happened in South Korea.

This would not have happen in my Wifes home Country of China either. They wouldn't Like the trolling at all.