Thread: Tubac AZ: Drug Smuggling Corridor

http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=6083533&nav=HMO6HMaY

Lupita Murillo Reports
Tubac residents concerned over violent drug smuggling corridor

Feb 14, 2007 05:39 AM PST

One by one, members of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Department trek up the road.

Everyone is equipped with high-powered weapons.

Lt. Raul Rodriguez says, "We need to be prepared for anything once we get to our scene."

The officers are heading out to process a murder scene that's nearly a month old.

Lt. Rodriguez says, "We have to have specialized gear that way we can plot the whole area also some narcotics was found a day later so we have to plot that area where the marijuana was found."

Along with the weapons to protect themselves, the officers are taking with them a metal detector to find bullet casings and a satellite phone in case they need assistance.

The area is in the Tumocacori Mountains, about 20 miles from the US/Mexico border, an area notorious for smuggling drugs and people.

Since last August, authorities say three people have been murdered here and there's been another 20 attempted murders.

Some call it "Death Valley."

Judy Monday, whose house sits nearby, says, "These people are carrying automatic weapons. They're armed. They're dangerous. They're shooting as though there are no homes around this area."

There are about 50 homes and more are under construction. There are also children living in the area.

One of Judy's neighbors says, "It was his 5-year-old granddaughter saw five of them heavily armed standing out there in the hills and that was the day they found the people that were killed."

The Sheriff's Department is using Tucson Ranger, Arizona Department of Public Safety's helicopter, to bring in the officers because of the rugged terrain.

They have to hike another hour before reaching the crime scene.

Lt. Rodriguez says, "They need to cover all our bases out there."

And Judy Monday says she and her neighbors need to protect themselves, which is why she has the two dogs.

"Eventually I will own a gun which I thought I'd never say that," Monday said.

American without protection. Thanks bush and congress our border is not secure and americans must now purchase dogs and guns to protect themselves.

They interviewed a lady there the other day who said you could see the "armed insurgents" standing in the hills nearby. Ironically this was in a recently built up area with about 50 new homes and they didn't look like cheep ones either. They were in a beautiful desert/mountain setting. I used to work about 20 miles from Tubac and I knew that they came through there in streams and I always said it was nuts for anyone to move into this area, they should be aware before they move there. I couldn't figure how the home-builders would get away with out the disclosure.

Originally Posted by mapwife

They interviewed a lady there the other day who said you could see the "armed insurgents" standing in the hills nearby. Ironically this was in a recently built up area with about 50 new homes and they didn't look like cheep ones either. They were in a beautiful desert/mountain setting. I used to work about 20 miles from Tubac and I knew that they came through there in streams and I always said it was nuts for anyone to move into this area, they should be aware before they move there. I couldn't figure how the home-builders would get away with out the disclosure.

I think that these properties are marketed to people who are out of town, and don't know any better. I was looking at some border real estate a while back. One realtor was very honest about the problem when I asked him, but a builder refused to discuss the issue at all. Buyer beware!!