Thread: Human and drug trafficking spikes in Hidalgo Co. N.M.

Human and drug trafficking spikes in Hidalgo Co.

Posted at: 05/24/2010 10:32 PM |
Updated at: 05/25/2010 7:44 AM
By: Misa Maruyama, Eyewitness News 4


A "Welcome to New Mexico" sign marks the Arizona stateline.Drug and illegal immigrant smuggling has risen in New Mexico’s bootheel since Arizona’s controversial law was signed.

While Arizona's immigration law doesn't go into effect until late July, Hidalgo County law enforcement said they saw a smuggling surge immediately after the law was signed.

Eyewitness News 4 rode along with deputies to see the situation first hand.

Corporal Gary Lassiter of the Hidalgo Co. Sheriffs Dept. pointed out a hot spot at the Arizona-New Mexico state line.

That’s where deputies found $100,000 worth of marijuana in a car they said was driven by an illegal immigrant who's been deported 10 times.

Deputies also found packages of marijuana valued at $50,000 in the gas tank of a truck that they said was headed to Albuquerque.

Why all this action in the bootheel?

Officials tell Eyewitness News 4 Hidalgo County has fewer deputies and a smaller border patrol force responsible for patrolling a larger area. Also, the area’s mountains limit radio and cell phone reception.

Luna County's sheriff says smugglers always find the path of least resistance, and now that path is winding through the bootheel.

“It's just going to be easier to get into this area: Less officers, more territory—that’s where I would go,“ said Luna Co. Sheriff Raymond Cobos.

http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S157 ... ml?cat=500

This is the second article where I read law enforcement stating things like "he has been deported 10 times" or in the Edmondton Washington rapist case "he was deported 9 times".

Starting to get a sense that the illegal aliens see deportation as a big joke and a free ride to the border.

Last I read on federal immigration laws the second illegal re-entry was a criminal act and surely after 9 or 10 times we have hit felon re-entry staus.

What the hell is going on with our lack of enforcement????

Look like this is the new area that needs to have troops also.