Thread: Increased border security causes problems for area drug deal

Increased border security causes problems for area drug dealers
Coastal Empire
MICHAEL ATKINS | Tuesday, November 27, 2007 at 12:30 am
Tightened security at Mexico's border with the United States is believed to be having a direct influence on illegal drug trafficking in the greater Savannah area.

With fewer drugs entering the country, authorities believe area drug dealers have engaged in more turf wars and increased competition for business, which has opened the door for a recent wave of major drug seizures and arrests.

During the summer and fall, there had been a lull in area busts, officials said.

"When I first got here, we were working a major case and, according to our sources, those guys were having an extremely difficult time getting their shipments to Texas and Atlanta," said Roy Harris, commander of the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team since April.

"Interestingly enough, our informants said the bad guys were blaming the border security for their problems."


Disrupting local supply

CNT's yearlong investigation concluded in May with the seizure of 3 kilograms of cocaine and 8 pounds of marijuana.

More recently, CNT agents netted more than $270,000 in illegal drugs, including 177 grams of powdered cocaine, 513 grams of crack cocaine and 90 pounds of marijuana, all in a one-week span this month.

During the months between these major hauls, frustrated drug dealers were having difficulties importing narcotics, authorities said.

"Any time there's a decrease in drugs on the street, you've got the possibility of turf wars and gang violence popping up - people robbing each other for drugs to sell," Harris said. "That can be problematic for us in law enforcement."

Metro police believe their department put a dent in that gang-related violence in late May when 27 suspected gang members were arrested on drug and violent-crime charges as part of the department's "Operation Raging Waters" investigation.

"We have to address it from all angles, and that's where CNT is very instrumental," said police spokesman Sgt. Mike Wilson. "A lot of our violent criminals are in some way - directly or indirectly - involved in the drug trade."


Tougher border control

Under President Bush's Operation Jump Start, which has increased National Guard and Border Patrol presence at the Mexican border since August, federal authorities have intercepted more than 250,000 pounds of marijuana, nearly 5,000 pounds of cocaine and $68,000 in currency.

According to statistics released earlier this month by the Department of Homeland Security, more than 20 percent fewer illegal immigrants were apprehended at the southwest border during the government's fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, indicating fewer illegals are attempting to cross.

More than 76 miles of pedestrian fence were added to the border in fiscal 2007.

Harris, who has worked at border posts in Nogales, Ariz., and El Paso, Texas, said the sheer magnitude of border crossings - legal and illegal - creates logistical limitations to border security.

"While we were there working with them, about every third car they checked had drugs in them," he said. "But lack of manpower means you can't check every single car. Even if you could, it'd take five days to get in the country, because there's a tremendous amount of commuters who come in legally to work every day."

Harris said agents compensated for inadequate manpower by detecting suspicious-looking vehicles and knowing where smugglers tend to hide shipments.

The Border Patrol has doubled in size since 2000, according to Homeland Security.


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NEWS CONFERENCE

U.S. Rep. John Barrow has scheduled a news conference for 10:30 a.m. today in front of the Savannah-Chatham police station, 201 Habersham St., to answer questions about a trip he took to the Mexican border and about the local law enforcement implications of border security.

Joining him will be Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Chief Michael Berkow, Screven County Sheriff Mike Kile and Micah Ward, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's special agent in charge of the Savannah Regional Drug Enforcement Office.

http://new.savannahnow.com/node/405226

Increased border security causes problems for area drug dealers

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