Thread: PA: Illegal immigration, drug trafficking on rise along Inte

Sunday, Jun. 22, 2008
Illegal immigration, drug trafficking on rise along Interstate 80 in Centre County

Pete BosakMotorists traveling Interstate 80 would likely be stunned if they knew how much criminal activity was riding along the highway with them.

In 2007, Rockview state police arrested 109 illegal immigrants on I-80 in Centre County. Already this year, state police at Rockview have nabbed 157 illegal immigrants on the highway.

Illegal immigrants and drug runners with fistfuls of cash and packages of narcotics travel the highway, police say.

And state police troopers based at Rockview are doing something about it.

Armed with training through a fairly new patrol initiative, Safe Highway Initiative Through Effective Law Enforcement Detection, or SHIELD, state police at Rockview already have set a number of records for arrests and the number of illegal immigrants taken into custody on I-80.

In 2007, Rockview state police arrested 109 illegal immigrants on I-80 in Centre County, according to state police Trooper David McGarvey, public information officer for Troop G based in Hollidaysburg.

Already this year, state police at Rockview have nabbed 157 illegal immigrants on the highway, he said.

In comparison, Clearfield state police barracks have one apprehension since January 2007, according to the station commander there.

While the state police do not keep formal statistics on SHIELD-related arrests and seizures, Sgt. Wayne Kline, who works with the SHIELD program based in Harrisburg, said Rockview’s arrests have noticeably jumped in the past year.

“It is definitely evident the numbers have increased for Rockview in that Milesburg area,â€

Rockview’s commander said the argument can be made that illegal immigrant and narcotics are only passing through Centre County and that state troopers could better serve their communities in other ways.

Not a very well thought out statement.......Mexican drugs and illegal aliens are only being passed/smuggled over the border with a destination somewhere in the U.S.

The terrorists are only passing through Centre County and their target is elsewhere.

A kidnapper is only passing through Centre County enroute to his secret hidaway.