TX Border: During Shutdown CBP Air Security Operations-Corpus Christi Stopped 11,000 Pounds Of Cocaine Worth $140.6M

by Melissa Jewett, Publisher

NOTE: Due to the lack of information that is currently available from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, we reached out and were informed that protecting the border is their first priority; currently, they are heavily involved in caravan operations on the Texas Border as a large portion of the latest caravan reached the Texas Border this week. Therefore, we expect what information we receive will be minimal for the time being.

Below you will find the latest information available for reported drug smuggling, human trafficking and illegal crossings that have occurred on the Texas border and ports.

It has been published by many news outlets around the country that the criminal activity on our Texas-Mexico border has been consistently dropping over the last couple of years, and Americans and Texans have been given inconsistent information on what is occurring on our border.

Our U.S. border issues are complex, and they affect all Texans. This is our home, and to most Texans, the border isn’t a political issue or a tool to use against another political party; this is a safety and security issue for us, our children, families, friends and our local and national law enforcement.

As you read below, we hope the information provided will help all Texans to better understand the problems happening on our southern border and what we need to do to repair our current immigration laws and policies that stem from our lawmakers in D.C.

However, to better understand if these are real problems or just political bloviation concerning our southern border with drug smuggling, human trafficking of children and adults, unaccompanied children and illegal immigrant crossings that include gang members and many from terrorist countries, we need the real numbers, facts and statistics.

Texas isn’t the only state that shares a border with Mexico. Therefore, as you read our weekly report below, remember this information is only what is occurring on the Texas-Mexico border and Texas ports.

This information has been gathered and compiled directly from information given to us by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which is under the purview of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

As for the accuracy of the information we are providing to you, we can only decipher the information that is released to us. Therefore, the number of incidents, arrests, types of narcotics, weight or the street value of said narcotics is considered the minimum amount.

We give the totals of illegal crossing arrests, including their nationality, drug seizures including weight and “street value” totals, current charges or convictions of those apprehended and other items to help all of us make educated decisions. Additionally, we include links to our other weekly border stories.

All people apprehended by the Border Patrol undergo criminal history checks using biometrics to ensure their criminal histories are positively identified. To report suspicious activity such as alien and/or drug smuggling, contact their website at http://www.cbp.gov. Or follow them on Twitter at @CBPRGV.

The public is encouraged to take a stand against crime in their communities and to help save lives by reporting suspicious activity at 800-863-9382.

Read related border coverage:

• Jan. 31, 2019: Texas Border: CBP Apprehend Child Sex Offenders, Firearms, Over $2M In Cash And Nearly $5.5M In Drugs

• Dec. 27, 2018: Texas Border: CBP Seize Over $2.5M In Drugs In Two Days, Announce Lapse Of Communication Operations Due To Fed Shutdown

• Dec. 20, 2018: Texas Border: CBP Apprehend Seven Child Sex Offenders, Three Gang Members, Over $10M In Hard Narcotics

NOTE: The totals below for arrests, apprehensions, seizures, drugs, etc. are ONLY what is reported by Customs & Border Protection to us. There are multiple incidents that happen everyday on all U.S. borders that aren’t reported. Corridor News is not responsible for what is NOT reported or incorrectly reported.

• Jan. 31  – Feb. 6, 2019 •

Texas Border Reported Arrests/Apprehensions

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Reported Arrests/Apprehensions from the following counties;

• El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras and USC (U.S. Citizen)

• Arrests/Apprehensions: 30+ (“+”: see note below)

Of those above there were…

• Child Sex Offender: 3
• Gang Member(s): MS-13 – 1
•  Seizures
     ° Commercial Tractor Trailer: 1
     ° Passenger Vehicle(s) Seized: 1

• Arrests/Apprehensions with Prior Criminal Conviction(s) & Current Charges: 4

• 1 Convicted: Sex with Minor 3+ years younger in Pasadena, California, Lewd and Lascivious Acts w/Child under 14 in Pasadena, California;
• 1 Convicted: Lewd and Lascivious Acts w/Minor under 14 years of age in the state of California;
• 1 Convicted: Statutory Sexual Seduction in the state of Nevada and
• 1 Convicted: Assault, 3rd Degree (MS-13 gang member)

*Note: “+”; U.S. Customs and Border Patrol did not list specific totals and/or countries on some reported incidents.

Texas Border Weekly Narcotic Seizures & Estimated Street Price

*NOTE: The totals below are an estimate of what was reported to us. U.S. dollar and pounds used.

CORPUS CHRISTI—Despite a historic partial government shutdown stretching 35 days, agents from the National Air Security Operations Center remained laser focused on doing what they do best—catching cocaine smugglers.

“Our folks are the best at what they do, 24/7, 365 days a year. They will always be fully dedicated to our mission, regardless of circumstances,” said Director of Air and Marine Operations Bob Blanchard.

Aircrews from the National Air Security Operations Center in Corpus Christi flew 271 hours on 49 missions and stopped almost
11,000 pounds of cocaine from reaching the
United States during the shutdown.

The narcotics had a wholesale value of $140,675,962. In addition to the counter drug flights, crews performed an airdrop of urgently needed medications to a sick crew member on a fishing vessel that was 760 miles from the nearest land mass.

The National Air Security Operations Center—Corpus Christi is a division of Air and Marine Operations and operates the Lockheed P-3 Orion conducting counter drug patrol missions over the Eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

Together with the National Air Security Operations Center in Jacksonville, Florida, Customs and Border Protection P-3 crews seized or disrupted 261,939 pounds of cocaine in 2018 with an estimated street value of $3.3 billion.

The mission of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations is to serve and protect the American people. It applies advanced aeronautical and maritime capabilities and employs its unique skill sets to preserve America’s security interests.

With 1,800 federal agents and mission support personnel, 240 aircraft and 300 marine vessels operating throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands, Air and Marine Operations uses its sophisticated fleets to detect, sort, intercept, track and apprehend criminals in diverse environments at and beyond U.S. borders.

Border Patrol Seizes nearly $1M worth of Marijuana in the Rio Grande Valley

EDINBURG, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol agents disrupted six separate narcotic smuggling attempts and seized over 1200 pounds of marijuana.

Monday, agents working at the Falfurrias checkpoint referred a commercial passenger bus to for secondary inspection. At secondary, a K-9 inspection revealed 33 pounds of marijuana in two unclaimed suitcases. The marijuana has an estimated value of $26K.

A few minutes later, agents from the Rio Grande City working near La Casita, Texas, observed a dark colored Kia SUV traveling north from the Rio Grande at a high rate of speed.

As agents responded, the driver of the vehicle bailed out of the vehicle and absconded. Agents discovered 40 bricks of marijuana weighing nearly 460 pounds worth an estimated $368K.

This morning, Rio Grande City Border Patrol Agents working near Garceno, Texas, observed several smugglers walking north of the Rio Grande.

As agents attempted to arrest them, the smugglers abandoned the marijuana bundles and fled to Mexico. Agents searched the area and discovered four bundles weighing 280 pounds worth an estimated $224K.

In addition, agents stopped three more smuggling attempts resulting in the seizure of 460 pounds with an estimated value of $368K.

Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol Arrests Multiple Criminals Over Last Few Days

EDINBURG, Texas – Over the last few days, Border Patrol Agents arrested three sex offenders and a member of a notorious gang.

Friday, agents from the Falfurrias station arrested a Honduran male near Falfurrias, Texas. His records revealed two previous arrest for sexual related crimes.

In 2007, Pasadena, California, Police Department arrested the man and charged him with Sex with Minor 3+ years younger. The judge sentenced the man to three days confinement and 36 months’ probation.

In 2009, the Pasadena Police Department arrested the man again, and charged him with Lewd and Lascivious Acts w/Child under 14. The man received a sentence of three years confinement.

Saturday, Falfurrias agents working near Encino, Texas, arrested a group of 16 illegal aliens on private ranchlands. Record checks on a Salvadoran male revealed he is a Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang member with a previous arrest of Assault, 3rd Degree.

In the same group, a second man’s record checks, who was later identified as a Guatemalan national, revealed an arrest and conviction in the state of California for Lewd and Lascivious Acts w/Minor under 14 years of age. The presiding judge sentenced the man to six years in prison.

Saturday afternoon, McAllen agents working in Mission, Texas, arrested a Salvadoran male after he entered the United States. During processing, record checks revealed a previous arrest and conviction for Statutory Sexual Seduction in the state of Nevada.

The Border Patrol is processing the subjects accordingly.

Border Patrol Agents Seize over 1,000 pounds of Marijuana in the RIo Grande Valley

EDINBURG, Texas –U.S. Border Patrol agents continue to disrupt illicit activity throughout the Rio Grande Valley.

Early this morning, agents working near Escobares, Texas, witnessed several subjects, who had just crossed the Rio Grande, carrying bundles of narcotics.

As agents encountered the group, the smugglers dropped the bundles and fled to Mexico. Agents seized 9 bundles of marijuana with a combined weight of nearly 380 pounds, worth an estimated $303K.

Additionally over the weekend, Border Patrol agents stopped a eight separate narcotic smuggling attempts resulting in the seizure of over 650 pounds of marijuana with an estimated value of $521K.

Border Patrol is investigating each case accordingly.

Laredo Sector Border Patrol Stops Smuggling Attempt at Checkpoint

LAREDO, Texas – Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents on Thursday interrupted an apparent alien smuggling attempt at the checkpoint on Interstate Highway 35.

The incident happened shortly after 1:30 a.m. on January 31, when agents encountered a tractor-trailer at the primary inspection area.

While agents were conducting an immigration inspection on the driver, a Border Patrol K-9 alerted to the possible
presence of illegal contraband in the vehicle.

The vehicle was referred to the secondary inspection area, where agents then discovered eight subjects inside the cab of the truck.

Immigration inspections on the subjects determined they were all illegally present in the United States.

The driver and eight illegal aliens were taken into custody for processing, and the vehicle was seized by Laredo Sector Border Patrol.