Thread: CBP, Border Patrol agents discover drug tunnel

http://www.americanpatrol.com/CBP/PRESS ... unnel.html -



Press Release - Tucson Sector PIO
Posted by AP December 1, 2006

CBP, Border Patrol Agents Discover Drug Tunnel

Nogales, AZ -- CBP Border Patrol Agents assigned to the Nogales Station bike patrol unit, seized more than 366 lbs. of Marijuana on November 20, 2006 emanating from a storm drain near downtown Nogales, Arizona. This seizure prompted an investigation by the Border Patrol into the possibility of a new drug tunnel in existence.

This morning with the cooperation of the Mexican Government, CBP Border Patrol Agents assigned to the International Liaison Unit were able to go into the existing drainage tunnel that both Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Sonora, Mexico share and discovered a new tunnel. With the help of the Nogales, Sonora Police Department agents were able to discover the entry point in Mexico and the area where they have tapped into the existing storm drain.

CBP Border Patrol is coordinating with the City of Nogales, to immediately seal this new tunnel, and repair the storm drain. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and well as the Drug Enforcement Administration have been notified and will be investigation the incident. This is the first tunnel that has been discovered this fiscal year.

Since the beginning of the new fiscal year (October 1, 2006), agents in the Tucson Sector have seized more than 117,000 pounds of marijuana, which represents a 30% increase over last years record total of in excess of 617,000 lbs.

http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=5758112

Border Patrol finds two drug tunnels in Nogales

Dec 2, 2006 07:15 AM PST


Border Patrol's Andy Adame said, "When we dropped down, you could see the bodies going around us and scooting back into Mexico."

A drug bust last week in Nogales led Border Patrol agents to a pair of drug tunnels running underneath their city.

Border Patrol agents found over 350 pounds of marijuana in a storm drain tunnel last week.

Friday, a certified tunnel unit with Border Patrol, along with their Mexican counterparts, started searching tunnels in Mexico into Arizona.

During their search in the tunnels, they found a hand-dug drug tunnel.

The tunnel actually runs underneath I-19 and comes out near exit 1-A in the city, a length of about 150 yards.

Border Patrol's Andy Adame said, "You can see where they cut the sides of the galvanized. They cut that and made a tunnel that runs around and reconnects."

Border agents say that smugglers used the tunnel for their get aways.

Adame said, "When we dropped down, you could see the bodies going around us and scooting back into Mexico."

Agents say the smugglers work in the late evening or early mornng when there's little traffic off I-19.

They bring a vehicle down here, use a rope to pull the marijuana into the vehicle, and off they go.

When agents went through the tunnel, they found water bottles and a pick. They also discovered a makeshift tray to smuggle their illegal cargo.

Adame said, "It's just an aluminum tray. They run this, put it in the ground, run ropes so they don't even have to use a body to bring it across."

Agents say that there's a chance the tunnel could collapse, so they have notified the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Border Patrol agents don't know how long this tunnel has been in existence, but they do know that it's one tunnel drugs won't be coming out of anymore.

Border patrol officials say that were it not for the cooperation of their Mexican counterparts, they would have never found the tunnels.