Thread: Cartel Smugglers Becoming More Aggressive Against Border Agents

by ILDEFONSO ORTIZ
4 Feb 2017

MCALLEN, Texas — A recent border shooting where cartel smugglers fired at U.S. Border Patrol agents points to a disturbing trend as organized crime members appear to be getting more aggressive against law enforcement.

The most recent attack took place on Friday morning near in a rural area not far from Los Indios international bridge. The attack took place when agents assigned to the Harlingen station responded to a vehicle heading towards the river in what appeared to be an attempt to collect a load of contraband. Authorities tried to stop the fleeing vehicle, but it headed back towards the river as the smugglers tried to escape into Mexico. During the escape, unknown men in Mexico began to fire at law enforcement on the U.S. side. No agents were hurt in the shooting.

The cross-border shooting comes just a week after cartel smugglers near Rio Grande City used caltrops or road spikes in an attempt to protect their drug loads, information released by the U.S. Border Patrol revealed. During that smuggling attempt, after picking up a drug load and encountering law enforcement, cartel members drove back towards the river. Along the way, the smugglers deployed the caltrops in order to slow down law enforcement. Two of the vehicles used by agents were disabled after their tires were rapidly deflated. When authorities arrived at the river, they found the vehicle used by the smugglers. Inside the vehicle, authorities located more caltrops and various drug bundles.

The tactic that cartel smugglers used in both cases is called a splash down, where as Breitbart Texas has reported, smugglers drive their vehicles into the river so that other cartel members can recover the drug loads and return them to Mexico before authorities can arrive. While splashdowns are common in the this particular area of the Texas border, shooting at authorities, and the use of caltrops point to smugglers becoming more aggressive in securing their drug loads and protecting them. Their boldness comes even at the risk of engaging law enforcement with gunfire on the U.S. side of the border.

http://www.breitbart.com/texas/2017/...border-agents/

Posted: Feb 06, 2017 3:59 PM PST
Updated: Feb 06, 2017 3:59 PM PST

SAN BENITO – No arrests have been made in an incident involving Border Patrol and an exchange of gunfire near the Rio Grande.

On Friday, Border Patrol agents attempted to stop a suspicious vehicle. Two people inside the van drove towards the river and fled in the direction of Mexico. The van was filled with bundles of narcotics.

During the gunfire exchange, 12 shots were fired. No one was injured.

Border Patrol spokesperson Marlene Castro said there are still no arrests linked to the incident.

She issued a statement in regards to another incident involving gunfire. It reads as follows:

“We had an agent and a trooper receive gunfire back in December. Although the agent was not hurt because he was wearing his bullet proof vest, the trooper was struck in the hip area. Both are doing fine now. DPS is in charge of that investigation.

These types of incidents, narcotics smuggling and assaults on agents, do happen beyond the fence. The main reason being that smugglers are willing to do anything to protect their drug load. They often attempt to drive their narcotic-laden vehicles into the river to avoid having them seized by law enforcement and ruthlessly resort to assaulting agents to avoid arrest.”

http://www.krgv.com/story/34439653/n...ear-san-benito

It's terrible. Please end the War on Drugs, legalize, make it a domestic only business run by licensed US citizens, no imports, no exports, regulate it, tax it, and use part of the proceeds only drug users pay to better educate and provide free on demand without stigma rehab for anyone who wants or needs it.

These disgusting cartels can't compete with that, at least not in the United States.

SHUT 'EM DOWN.