C.B.P.'S Rail Inspection team tops

Posted - 8/26/2010 at 8:28AM

NOGALES - If you've ever crossed into Mexico walking or driving, you've seen Customs and Border Protection Agents at the port of entry.

But, they have a unit you may never have heard about. Officials say without them, it would be impossible to secure the border.

Lupe Ramirez the Port Director says, "Our Rail Team has been extremely effective both north and south bound."

In the last year, the Rail Team has made 24 seizures totaling 5 1/2 tons of marijuana. It's considered the most successful team in the country.

17-billion dollars worth of goods enter the United States through the Nogales port of entry.

Ramirez says, "We're looking for the needle in the haystack. We're looking for the narcotics going north, the weapons and ammunition and people and money going south."

An X-ray machine checks every box car, recently the machine picked up a dozen people hidden in the cars. Ramirez says, "They're looking ways of circumventing us, and using our rail inspection team we closed up an opportunity for them."

When they're not checking trains, these agents are inspecting vehicles.

In just 48 hours they found drugs hidden in 12 vehicles including a pick up truck. Agents found a secret compartment behind the seat where smugglers stashed bundles of marijuana.

The Rail Team also helps at the pedestrian crossing, they say a Mexican national teenager, had a kilo of cocaine strapped to his body.

It's not just drugs and illegal immigrant's agents are looking for. John Holman heads the Rail Enforcement Team, "We have a job to protect our commerce coming from other countries protecting other people's property coming into the country."

Also at the port of entry the Rail Enforcement unit has helped in the seizure of 5-million dollars in cash that was heading into Mexico.

The team inspects four trains a day. Each train has between 70 to 90 rail cars.

http://www.kvoa.com/news/cbp-s-rail-ins ... team-tops/