U.S.Border Patrol Weekly Blotter: January 21 - January 27

(01/28/2010)Border Patrol agents seized over 13,744 pounds of marijuana. Agents arrested 11 criminal aliens and 14 gang members. There were 5 rocking incidents.

*This overview is compiled from incidents reported to the Office of Border Patrol and is not intended to reflect all Border Patrol enforcement actions. Most arrests and seizures fail to meet the requirements for mandatory reporting to the Office of Border Patrol.

Reported on January 21, 2010

El Paso Sector – Border Patrol agents arrested an illegal alien from El Salvador near Deming, New Mexico. During processing, the subject admitted to being a Mara Salvatrucha 13 (MS-13) gang member. Records checks revealed he had a prior conviction for terroristic threats and had been previously removed from the United States.

El Paso Sector – Border Patrol agents arrested a national of Iran near Las Cruces, New Mexico. Records checks revealed the subject used fraudulent information to obtain permanent resident status in the United States.

Grand Forks Sector – Border Patrol agents arrested an illegal alien from Ukraine near Crookston, Minnesota. Records checks revealed the subject had multiple felony convictions, was a convicted sex offender, and had been previously removed from the United States.


Rio Grande Valley Sector – Border Patrol agents seized 1,433 pounds of marijuana and a 1992 Chevrolet van near La Casita, Texas. Agents observed smugglers load the van with suspected narcotics near the Rio Grande River. When the van drove off, agents successfully deployed a Controlled Tire Deflation Device. The driver abandoned the vehicle and absconded. A search of the van revealed 120 bricks of marijuana inside.


Tucson Sector – Border Patrol agents seized 1,017 pounds of marijuana, a Chevrolet Yellowstone recreational vehicle, and arrested three United States Citizens (USC) at the traffic checkpoint near Gila Bend, Arizona. The subjects presented themselves for inspection and a Border Patrol canine alerted to the vehicle. X-ray technology showed anomalies in the vehicle and a subsequent search revealed the hidden marijuana.


Tucson Sector – Border Patrol agents arrested an illegal alien from Mexico near Nogales, Arizona. Records checks revealed the subject had an active Federal arrest warrant for homicide and had been previously removed from the United States.


Reported on January 22, 2010


Del Rio Sector – Border Patrol agents conducting routine patrol duties, observed three individuals attempting to load duffel bags containing suspected contraband into a vehicle. All three subjects absconded back into Mexico and agents recovered 187 pounds of marijuana from the abandoned vehicle.


Grand Forks Sector – Border Patrol agents arrested an illegal alien from Mexico near Fargo, North Dakota. During processing, the subject admitted to being a Sureño 13 gang member. Records checks revealed he had been previously removed from the United States.


Rio Grande Valley Sector – Border Patrol agents seized 2,583 pounds of marijuana, a tractor- trailer, and arrested two USCs at the traffic checkpoint near Falfurrias, Texas. Both subjects presented themselves for inspection and a Border Patrol canine alerted to the conveyance. X-ray technology detected anomalies in the trailer and a search revealed 178 bundles of marijuana concealed within the vehicle.


Rio Grande Valley Sector – Border Patrol agents seized 1,561 pounds of marijuana, a 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe and a 1997 Mercury Mountaineer near La Casita, Texas. Agents discovered the two vehicles abandoned, and a search revealed the narcotics inside the sport utility vehicles.


San Diego Sector – Border Patrol agents arrested an illegal alien from El Salvador near Imperial Beach, California. During processing, the subject admitted to being an MS-13 gang member, and records checks revealed he had been previously removed from the United States.


Tucson Sector – Border Patrol agents attempted to make a vehicle stop on a reportedly stolen pickup truck that failed to yield near Ajo, Arizona. The driver and passenger, both illegal aliens from Mexico, fled from agents, but the vehicle became disabled in the desert. After arresting the subjects, agents recovered a 2001 Ford F-250 and seized a stolen .22 caliber rifle and 54 rounds of ammunition.


Reported on Januay 23, 2010


Laredo Sector – Border Patrol agents seized 4,319 pounds of marijuana, a tractor-trailer, and arrested a USC at the traffic checkpoint near Hebbronville, Texas. The subject presented himself for inspection and a Border Patrol canine alerted to the tractor-trailer. X-ray technology detected an anomaly in the trailer and a search revealed 277 bundles of marijuana concealed within the vehicle.


Tucson Sector – Border Patrol agents arrested two illegal aliens from Mexico who claimed to have been held hostage for ransom by an armed smuggler near Tucson, Arizona. The individuals claimed that after being smuggled to Tucson, the smuggler took them to a local hotel, bound them with duct tape, and threatened to kill them if their families did not pay the ransom. The individuals claimed they were released after being held hostage for six days and a family member paid a portion of the demanded ransom. The case was turned over to other law enforcement officials for further investigation.


Reported on January 24, 2010


Detroit Sector – Border Patrol agents seized 1,865 counterfeit DVDs, $785 in U.S. currency, a 2008 Pontiac G6, and arrested an illegal alien from Lebanon near Dearborn, Michigan. The agents conducted a vehicle stop on the subject, and records checks revealed he was ordered removed in absentia from the United States in 2007.


Tucson Sector – Border Patrol agents seized 1,198 pounds of marijuana and recovered a stolen Ford F-250 pickup truck at the Barry M. Goldwater Range near Gila Bend, Arizona. During routine patrol activities, agents discovered the abandoned vehicle. A search revealed 98 bundles of marijuana in the vehicle.


San Diego Sector – Border Patrol agents were assaulted by subjects throwing rocks near San Diego, California. Agents deployed less lethal munitions to stop the assault and subsequently arrested one subject. The remaining subjects absconded to Mexico.


Reported on January 25, 2010


Del Rio Sector – Border Patrol agents arrested an illegal alien from Mexico near Eagle Pass, Texas. During processing, the subject admitted to being a Tango Blast gang member. Records checks revealed he had an extensive criminal history and had been previously removed from the United States.


Rio Grande Valley Sector – Border Patrol agents arrested an illegal alien from El Salvador near La Grulla, Texas. During processing, the subject admitted to being an MS-13 gang member. Records checks revealed he had been previously removed from the United States.


Tucson Sector – Border Patrol agents arrested an illegal alien from Mexico near Douglas, Arizona. Records checks revealed the subject had a prior conviction for lewd and lascivious acts with a child in the State of California and had been previously removed from the United States.


Tucson Sector – Border Patrol agents arrested an illegal alien from El Salvador near Hereford, Arizona. Records checks revealed that the subject was an MS-13 gang member and had been previously removed from the United States.


Reported on January 26, 2010


Rio Grande Valley Sector – Border Patrol agents arrested an illegal alien from Honduras near San Patricio, Texas. During processing, the subject admitted to being an MS-13 gang member. Records checks revealed he had been previously removed from the United States.


San Diego Sector – Border Patrol agents arrested a USC after she attempted to run over an agent that was on foot near San Ysidro, California. Agents performed a vehicle stop and took the subject into custody near Chula Vista, California.


Tucson Sector – Border Patrol agents arrested an illegal alien from Mexico near Tucson, Arizona. Records checks revealed the subject had multiple prior convictions for sex offenses in the State of California, and had been previously removed from the United States.


Reported on January 27, 2010


El Paso Sector – Border Patrol agents arrested an illegal alien from Mexico near El Paso, Texas. During processing, the subject admitted to being a Paisas gang member, and records checks revealed he had been previously removed from the United States.


El Paso Sector – Border Patrol agents arrested an illegal alien from Mexico near Socorro, Texas. During processing, the subject admitted to being a Barrio Azteca gang member. Records checks revealed he had an extensive criminal history, and had been previously removed from the United States.


Rio Grande Valley Sector – Border Patrol agents seized 1,446 pounds of marijuana, a tractor-trailer, and arrested a USC at the traffic checkpoint near Falfurrias, Texas. The subject presented himself for inspection and a Border Patrol canine alerted to the trailer. X-ray technology revealed anomalies in the trailer. A search revealed 27 bundles of marijuana within the vehicle.


Rio Grande Valley Sector – Border Patrol agents arrested a USC, eight illegal aliens from Mexico, and seized a tractor-trailer at the traffic checkpoint near Sarita, Texas. Records checks revealed the USC subject was a Mexican Mafia gang member, and had a prior conviction for attempted murder in the State of Texas.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/border_secur ... 1_0127.xml