Official: Cartel Members Not Likely to Attack International Bridge

Reported by: Manuel De La Rosa
Last Update: 6:39 pm

CHANNEL 5 NEWS (KRGV, 2010)
RIO GRANDE VALLEY - Federal law enforcement officers are training, making sure they are prepared for the violence surfacing along the border.

Customs and Border Protection officials say they are keeping an eye on what's going on in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. They say at any time the four international bridges in Los Indios and Brownsville could fall victim to spillover violence.

Shootouts between drug cartels have already happened at the Los Indios and B&M bridges in the Lower Valley. The threat of spillover violence is ever present. Customs and Border Protection officials have even shut down the bridges on the American side.

Lower Valley Port Director Michael Freeman says it's something that's on their radar.

"We are prepared. Our officers are prepared if there's any type of spillover violence that may happen at the port of entry. We are here to meet that threat," says Freeman.

The Brownsville police chief told CHANNEL 5 NEWS last week he's not sure about the accuracy of information coming out of Matamoros.

CBP leaders have a different view. They say they believe and trust the Mexican police commanders and the soldiers stationed there.

"This is something where I feel confident they are a high-level-trained organization. They are working from the ground up, but the signs we have seen they are helping us to stem the violence that is happening," says Freeman.

Freeman adds he doubts the drug cartels would attack an international bridge in Brownsville or Los Indios.

"Because the one thing these drug cartels understand are the ports of entries have a mass congregation of law enforcement officers. This would be a last resort," says Freeman.

Federal officers say it’s more likely spillover violence would happen in an isolated area where there is only a small concentration of law enforcement.

Still, customs officers aren't taking anything for granted. Security alerts will remain high because of the border violence in Mexico.

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