Rockport Bailout Leads to Illegals and Drugs
Manuel De La Rosa

Story Created: Feb 17, 2010 at 6:33 PM CST

(Story Updated: Feb 17, 2010 at 6:33 PM CST )

(February 17, 2010)

ROCKPORT--Police in Rockport seized marijuana and captured thirteen illegal immigrants in the aftermath of an immigrant bailout today. It happened near Highway 35 in Rockport as officers were running a special operation aimed at stopping human and drug trafficking.

Rockport Police officers were working Operation Stonegarden on Highway 35. This traffic stop showed the latest trend by traffickers to get their loads north to Houston.

"Our officers were out and about and about 8:30 this morning they observed a vehicle with an equipment violation," said Lt. Larry Sinclair of the Rockport Police Department.

Officers say two people bailed out from a Ford truck on this dead-end street near Highway 35 in Rockport.

When they arrived, they discovered 22 pounds of marijuana inside a backpack. In the bed of the truck, they found 13 undocumented immigrants.

Officers are seeing more of these traffic stops where traffickers are sending both immigrants and drugs together.

"They're trying to become more efficient, killing two birds with one stone," Lt. Sinclair said. "They'll run a load of any type of contraband they are trying to move into the country. Be it, marijuana, like we have here, or cocaine or methamphetamines in addition to bringing up illegal aliens."

Commanders said traffickers are using Highway 35 to avoid law enforcement on Highway 77 and 281.

So Rockport Police received a $400,000 federal grant to work Operation Stonegarden. This two year grant is allowing them to pay officers overtime to work the highway and to buy equipment to fight drug and human trafficking.

Since the operation started last month, officers have caught 150 undocumented immigrants in Aransas County. Those immigrants have come from many countries, including Turkey, Croatia, Mexico and Honduras.

--Manuel De La Rosa, Area 3 News, mdelarosa@kiiitv.com


http://www.kiiitv.com/news/local/84643907.html