It may be the Yuletide season, but that hasn’t stopped drug smugglers from wanting to earn some extra Christmas cash. This week in San Diego, Border Patrol agents played Grinch and snatched nearly $700,000 worth of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.
Yesterday, Border Patrol agents, patrolling along Interstate 15 stopped a 28-year-old male U.S. citizen driving a pickup truck. After the stop, agents called a Border Patrol K-9 team to conduct a cursory inspection of the vehicle. The K-9 positively alerted agents to the interior of the truck where agents discovered five bundles of methamphetamine in a black trash bag. “The total weight of the meth was 12.02 pounds and worth an estimated $240,400,” according to Border Patrol Agent Scott Simon.
In a separate bust, Border Patrol agents at the Interstate 8 checkpoint just east of San Diego, arrested a 23-year-old male Mexican national for smuggling 3.53 pounds of heroin worth $45,890 in the soles of two pairs of dress shoes.
“Agents encountered the individual while performing an immigration inspection of a commercial bus travelling to San Diego,” Scott said. “During inspection, agents became suspicious of the man’s nervous demeanor and referred him for a secondary inspection. A Border Patrol K-9 team alerted to the man’s luggage, where agents discovered packages of heroin hidden inside of a pair of brown shoes. Agents also located similar packages inside of a pair of black shoes the man was wearing.”
At the same I-8 checkpoint, Border Patrol detained a 39-year-old male U.S. citizen for attempting to smuggle 39.68 pounds of cocaine. The nervous driver was sent to secondary inspection, where a K-9 team led agents to the gas tank. Inside the tank, Border Patrol found 15 bundles of cocaine worth an estimated street value of $396,800.
All the suspected smugglers and $683,000 worth of narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and two pickup trucks were seized by the U.S. Border Patrol.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
New Secure Communities immigration report shows Warren Institute liberal bias
Now that the GOP presidential candidates opened the proverbial immigration can of worms, the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) decided to reexamine a Warren Institute study that is being touted on both sides of the political aisle.
Looking at ICE’s Secure Communities program, CIS found the Warren Institute report (located at the University of California, Berkeley Law School) is misleading. CIS released its first in a three-part series report using the identical database that the Warren Institute's analyzed.
After obtaining the documents from a Freedom of Information Act request, CIS concluded the Institute report contained factual flaws.
CIS contends that the Warren Institute obtained the ICE records and those documents reveal a disturbing pattern of abuse of authority by Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE). The Warren Institute further claims ICE participated in numerous unlawful actions including; wrongful arrests of thousands of U.S. citizens, a pattern of racial profiling against Latinos, and denial of due process for aliens in removal proceedings.
The allegations made by the Warren Institute has since made main-stream media headlines as well as captured many Congressional members attention.
While the Center for Immigration Studies agrees “the ICE database does provide an interesting and relatively rare snapshot of the actual Secure Communities caseload,” they found that the records they reexamined didn’t support any allegations that ICE abused their authority.
Some of the results from the CIS study include;
* The database contains no records of U.S. citizens who were detained by or for ICE. It is impossible to assert based on this data, as the critics have, that thousands of U.S. citizens, or any number of U.S. citizens, have been arrested by ICE through Secure Communities.
* The Warren Institute report contains serious methodological and interpretive errors that lead its authors to unsubstantiated conclusions and cast doubt on the credibility of the entire analysis. For example, the authors analyzed only 23 percent of the original random sample requested from ICE.
* ICE’s failure to counter the report’s misleading statements is contributing to the spread of misconceptions about Secure Communities among the media, state and local leaders, and the public. This raises doubts as to the agency leaders’ commitment to full and effective implementation of the program.
* We agree with the Warren Institute authors on the issue of the need for improved transparency at ICE and its parent Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The first set of findings can be found online at http://cis.org/SC-by-the-numbers-critique-part1.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Looking at ICE’s Secure Communities program, CIS found the Warren Institute report (located at the University of California, Berkeley Law School) is misleading. CIS released its first in a three-part series report using the identical database that the Warren Institute's analyzed.
After obtaining the documents from a Freedom of Information Act request, CIS concluded the Institute report contained factual flaws.
CIS contends that the Warren Institute obtained the ICE records and those documents reveal a disturbing pattern of abuse of authority by Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE). The Warren Institute further claims ICE participated in numerous unlawful actions including; wrongful arrests of thousands of U.S. citizens, a pattern of racial profiling against Latinos, and denial of due process for aliens in removal proceedings.
The allegations made by the Warren Institute has since made main-stream media headlines as well as captured many Congressional members attention.
While the Center for Immigration Studies agrees “the ICE database does provide an interesting and relatively rare snapshot of the actual Secure Communities caseload,” they found that the records they reexamined didn’t support any allegations that ICE abused their authority.
Some of the results from the CIS study include;
* The database contains no records of U.S. citizens who were detained by or for ICE. It is impossible to assert based on this data, as the critics have, that thousands of U.S. citizens, or any number of U.S. citizens, have been arrested by ICE through Secure Communities.
* The Warren Institute report contains serious methodological and interpretive errors that lead its authors to unsubstantiated conclusions and cast doubt on the credibility of the entire analysis. For example, the authors analyzed only 23 percent of the original random sample requested from ICE.
* ICE’s failure to counter the report’s misleading statements is contributing to the spread of misconceptions about Secure Communities among the media, state and local leaders, and the public. This raises doubts as to the agency leaders’ commitment to full and effective implementation of the program.
* We agree with the Warren Institute authors on the issue of the need for improved transparency at ICE and its parent Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The first set of findings can be found online at http://cis.org/SC-by-the-numbers-critique-part1.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
ATF F&F hearing yields little new information- Holder on track for a "mulligan"
Earlier today the Department of Justice (DOJ) Attorney General Eric Holder walked into the line of fire when he appeared in front of the House Judiciary Committee hearing concerning the controversial Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) disastrous “Fast and Furious” investigation.
The Attorney General took rapid fire questions from GOP representatives seeking answers for the failed “gunwalking” program that resulted in the murder of at least one Border Patrol Agent, Brian Terry, and more than 200 Mexican citizen deaths. From the get go Mr. Holder made it clear that the approximately 2,000 high-powered guns that ATF let “walk” into Mexico will turn up at crime scenes in both countries for years to come.
However, the day-long hearing revealed little new information and yielded no acceptance of responsibility from Holder. He simply doubled-down on DOJ's innocence regarding the (mis) handling of the botched gun-running investigation.
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It’s been almost a year since Border Patrol Agent Terry was callously gunned-down in the Arizona desert by “rip crew” bandits using guns the U.S. government let “walk” into the hands of brutal Mexican drug cartels. During the past year, Agent Terry’s family has witnessed a cover-up by ATF and DOJ and seen no compassion or concern from Mr. Holder regarding the murder of their son.
Instead, the agent’s murder has resulted in a firestorm of inquiry for ATF and DOJ led by Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA), Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform committee. Despite Issa’s vigorous inquisition, the DOJ still has not told Congress who knew what, and when.
It was just a week ago when the AG’s office asked for a “mulligan” on a letter their office issued to Congress that misstated “Fast and Furious” facts. The DOJ letter stated that ATF’s fatally-flawed “gunwalking” investigation did not allow guns to walk across the border and into the hands of Mexican drug cartels. The DOJ letter lied and ATF did allow guns to leave their jurisdiction and cross the Mexican border.
This led Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) to ask AG Holder a direct question regarding the art of lying; “Tell me what's the difference between lying and misleading Congress, in this context?”
Holder's reply seemed like a non-answer. “Well, if you want to have this legal conversation, it all has to do with your state of mind and whether or not you had the requisite intent to come up with something that would be considered perjury or a lie,” Holder admitted. “The information that was provided by the February 4th letter was gleaned by the people who drafted the letter after they interacted with people who they thought were in the best position to have the information.”
Holder’s answer harkened back to President Bill Clinton’s definition of “what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.”
Nevertheless Republican committee members echoed the same mantra all day- that heads needed to roll for the failed Fast and Furious investigation. And, it appears the Obama Administration is positioning Holder’s long-time friend, confidant and DOJ Assistant AG of the Criminal Division underling Lanny Breuer to be the fall guy.
It was recently discovered emails discussing the ATF “gunwalking” operation that provoked Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley to call for Breuer’s firing earlier this week.
“The real shock was how Mr. Breuer had responded within his own Department when earlier ‘gunwalking’ was first brought to his attention in April 2010. He didn’t tell the Attorney General. He didn’t tell the Attorney General’s Chief of Staff. He didn’t tell the Deputy Attorney General. He didn’t tell the Inspector General. Instead, he simply told his deputy to meet with ATF leadership and inform them of the ‘gunwalking’ so they knew the bad stuff that could come out,” Grassley said.
The final squabble of the day squared Rep. Issa’s sharp- tongue questions surrounding Holder’s continued stonewalling tactics of Fast and Furious. Issa reminded the Attorney General that he could be held in contempt of Congress if he continued to block Congressional members request for documents, to which Holder replied; “Have you no shame?”
But Issa countered Holder’s political gamesmanship with; “No, have you no shame?”
Up next – House committee members will now flood Eric Holder’s office with a litany of follow-up questions, but the answers will not be disclosed until after the holiday season. Stay tuned for more ATF Fast and Furious updates.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
The Attorney General took rapid fire questions from GOP representatives seeking answers for the failed “gunwalking” program that resulted in the murder of at least one Border Patrol Agent, Brian Terry, and more than 200 Mexican citizen deaths. From the get go Mr. Holder made it clear that the approximately 2,000 high-powered guns that ATF let “walk” into Mexico will turn up at crime scenes in both countries for years to come.
However, the day-long hearing revealed little new information and yielded no acceptance of responsibility from Holder. He simply doubled-down on DOJ's innocence regarding the (mis) handling of the botched gun-running investigation.
Advertisement
It’s been almost a year since Border Patrol Agent Terry was callously gunned-down in the Arizona desert by “rip crew” bandits using guns the U.S. government let “walk” into the hands of brutal Mexican drug cartels. During the past year, Agent Terry’s family has witnessed a cover-up by ATF and DOJ and seen no compassion or concern from Mr. Holder regarding the murder of their son.
Instead, the agent’s murder has resulted in a firestorm of inquiry for ATF and DOJ led by Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA), Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform committee. Despite Issa’s vigorous inquisition, the DOJ still has not told Congress who knew what, and when.
It was just a week ago when the AG’s office asked for a “mulligan” on a letter their office issued to Congress that misstated “Fast and Furious” facts. The DOJ letter stated that ATF’s fatally-flawed “gunwalking” investigation did not allow guns to walk across the border and into the hands of Mexican drug cartels. The DOJ letter lied and ATF did allow guns to leave their jurisdiction and cross the Mexican border.
This led Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) to ask AG Holder a direct question regarding the art of lying; “Tell me what's the difference between lying and misleading Congress, in this context?”
Holder's reply seemed like a non-answer. “Well, if you want to have this legal conversation, it all has to do with your state of mind and whether or not you had the requisite intent to come up with something that would be considered perjury or a lie,” Holder admitted. “The information that was provided by the February 4th letter was gleaned by the people who drafted the letter after they interacted with people who they thought were in the best position to have the information.”
Holder’s answer harkened back to President Bill Clinton’s definition of “what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.”
Nevertheless Republican committee members echoed the same mantra all day- that heads needed to roll for the failed Fast and Furious investigation. And, it appears the Obama Administration is positioning Holder’s long-time friend, confidant and DOJ Assistant AG of the Criminal Division underling Lanny Breuer to be the fall guy.
It was recently discovered emails discussing the ATF “gunwalking” operation that provoked Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley to call for Breuer’s firing earlier this week.
“The real shock was how Mr. Breuer had responded within his own Department when earlier ‘gunwalking’ was first brought to his attention in April 2010. He didn’t tell the Attorney General. He didn’t tell the Attorney General’s Chief of Staff. He didn’t tell the Deputy Attorney General. He didn’t tell the Inspector General. Instead, he simply told his deputy to meet with ATF leadership and inform them of the ‘gunwalking’ so they knew the bad stuff that could come out,” Grassley said.
The final squabble of the day squared Rep. Issa’s sharp- tongue questions surrounding Holder’s continued stonewalling tactics of Fast and Furious. Issa reminded the Attorney General that he could be held in contempt of Congress if he continued to block Congressional members request for documents, to which Holder replied; “Have you no shame?”
But Issa countered Holder’s political gamesmanship with; “No, have you no shame?”
Up next – House committee members will now flood Eric Holder’s office with a litany of follow-up questions, but the answers will not be disclosed until after the holiday season. Stay tuned for more ATF Fast and Furious updates.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Obama’s DOJ to sue UC San Diego for asking non-citizens to prove right to work
After an independent investigation, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said they are filing of a lawsuit against a University of California, San Diego Medical Center. The DOJ alleges that the medical center violated the employment eligibility verification process by asking non-citizens to produce paperwork to prove they are allowed to work in the U.S. against people who are authorized to work in the United States.
The DOJ found that the UC medical center engaged in a pattern of requiring non-U.S. citizen hires to produce documents issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in order to verify or re-verify their employment eligibility. The independent investigative team also claims the medical center did not ask U.S. citizens to show their documentation.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act’s (INA) anti-discrimination provision, employers are prohibited from placing undue burdens on work-authorized employees during the hiring and employment eligibility verification process.
“All workers who are authorized to work in the United States have the right to work without encountering discrimination because of their immigration status or national origin,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are committed to vigorously protecting authorized workers from discrimination in the hiring process and ensuring that employers uphold their obligations under the law.”
The DOJ complaint requests that the court prohibits future discrimination by UC San Diego, monetary damages for individuals affected by the medical centers hiring actions, as well as civil penalties.
The United States is represented in this matter by Luz V. Lopez-Ortiz and Ronald Lee, OSC Trial Attorneys.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
The DOJ found that the UC medical center engaged in a pattern of requiring non-U.S. citizen hires to produce documents issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in order to verify or re-verify their employment eligibility. The independent investigative team also claims the medical center did not ask U.S. citizens to show their documentation.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act’s (INA) anti-discrimination provision, employers are prohibited from placing undue burdens on work-authorized employees during the hiring and employment eligibility verification process.
“All workers who are authorized to work in the United States have the right to work without encountering discrimination because of their immigration status or national origin,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are committed to vigorously protecting authorized workers from discrimination in the hiring process and ensuring that employers uphold their obligations under the law.”
The DOJ complaint requests that the court prohibits future discrimination by UC San Diego, monetary damages for individuals affected by the medical centers hiring actions, as well as civil penalties.
The United States is represented in this matter by Luz V. Lopez-Ortiz and Ronald Lee, OSC Trial Attorneys.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Border Patrol in San Diego arrest convicted child molester
San Diego Border Patrol agents apprehended a male 49-year-old Mexican national in the east county community of Jacumba for illegally entering the United States. However, Border Patrol agents learned the Mexican national was previously convicted of child molestation in the U.S.
Then felon illegally crossed the US/Mexican border with two other undocumented Mexican nationals.
According to Border Patrol Agent Scott Simon, “agents transported the group to a local Border Patrol station where processing and further investigation revealed the 49-year-old man had previously been incarcerated after being convicted of continuous sexual abuse of a child in Orange, Calif. in 1996.”
Simon also pointed out that the illegal felon had been previously deported from the U.S. in 2005.
Currently the individual is in Department of Homeland Security custody and is awaiting trial for felony re-entry after deportation.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Then felon illegally crossed the US/Mexican border with two other undocumented Mexican nationals.
According to Border Patrol Agent Scott Simon, “agents transported the group to a local Border Patrol station where processing and further investigation revealed the 49-year-old man had previously been incarcerated after being convicted of continuous sexual abuse of a child in Orange, Calif. in 1996.”
Simon also pointed out that the illegal felon had been previously deported from the U.S. in 2005.
Currently the individual is in Department of Homeland Security custody and is awaiting trial for felony re-entry after deportation.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Friday, December 2, 2011
While President Obama continues his tax the millionaires (actually those who make $250,000 per year) mantra in order to pay for the payroll tax holiday set to expire in 30 days, California Governor Jerry Brown hoping to tax all residents in the not-so Golden State.
The Democratic leadership and union members in Sacramento are putting the final touches on a November 2012 ballot initiative that would make Californians the highest-taxed state in the nation.
Currently, California is facing monumental billion dollar budget shortfalls and Governor Brown wants residents to vote for a tax increase to narrow the gap. In June of this year, state legislators voted on a supposed-balance budget, but underestimating expenditures has left a $12.8 billion hole for the state.
Democrats are hoping good-natured residents will elect to increase the state sales tax by half-a-cent for the next four years.The tax measure would also levy a 1 percent income tax on income earners who make $250,000, 1.5 percent on income over $300,000 and a 2 percent income tax on those earning more than $500,000. Effectively the state income tax would increase from 10.3 percent to 12.3 percent making California the most expensive state to live. Governor Brown anticipates the increase will raise $7 billion, still shy of the $13 billion budget deficit.
California tax crusader, Richard Rider of San Diego Tax Fighters points out the hard reality for Golden State residents. “If passed, California will advance from the third highest income tax state to numero uno. Any sane rich person HAS to be thinking of moving out of the state.”
Rider explains that Maryland already enacted a smaller tax proposal with some glaring results. “About three years ago, Maryland raised its millionaires income tax. The following year, one out of every eight millionaires no longer filed Maryland income tax forms. A few died – the rest left. The net Maryland tax revenue from millionaires declined – and the state economy suffered from the loss of the big spenders. And the Maryland tax increase was only a FRACTION of the huge percentage increase being proposed by Governor Brown.”
To find out how dreadful California taxes are compared to the nation, please click Richard Rider’s Breaking Bad blog for complete up-to-date tax information; http://open.salon.com/blog/richard_rider/2011/11/30/breaking_bad_ca_vs_the_other_states_rev_112611
San Diego’s Stop Taxing Us has also indicated that the state doesn’t have a revenue problem, but a spending problem.
"The State of California is in the middle of a budget crisis and revenue is not the problem," said Dr. Gary Gonsalves, MD, the co-founder of Stop Taxing Us. "We have structural spending issues which must be fixed if the government of California is to live within its means." Gonsalves cites one of the biggest offenders is the state pension crisis and transfer payment programs. This is just a math problem. We can't raise taxes anymore; the people won't stand for it. If we can't raise taxes, how can we balance our budget? We have to cut spending."
Rhonda Deniston, a director of Stop Taxing Us, argued against the higher taxes being proposed in Sacramento. "Every time California raises taxes, productive individuals flee the state, taking businesses and jobs with them."
In an effort to curb California’s spending problem, Stop Taxing Us has proposed “The Promise to California Taxpayers. We intend to offer the Promise as a way for fiscal conservatives, regardless of party affiliation, to articulate clearly that raising taxes is something they will never, ever do. We want to make it easy for candidates to tell the voters where they stand. Additionally, we want California taxpayers to know which candidates protect them and, should the unfortunate happen...that is... if a candidate breaks his/her promise in office, we want to let the taxpayers know that their governing actions were inconsistent with their campaign rhetoric," said Brian Brady of Stop Taxing Us.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
The Democratic leadership and union members in Sacramento are putting the final touches on a November 2012 ballot initiative that would make Californians the highest-taxed state in the nation.
Currently, California is facing monumental billion dollar budget shortfalls and Governor Brown wants residents to vote for a tax increase to narrow the gap. In June of this year, state legislators voted on a supposed-balance budget, but underestimating expenditures has left a $12.8 billion hole for the state.
Democrats are hoping good-natured residents will elect to increase the state sales tax by half-a-cent for the next four years.The tax measure would also levy a 1 percent income tax on income earners who make $250,000, 1.5 percent on income over $300,000 and a 2 percent income tax on those earning more than $500,000. Effectively the state income tax would increase from 10.3 percent to 12.3 percent making California the most expensive state to live. Governor Brown anticipates the increase will raise $7 billion, still shy of the $13 billion budget deficit.
California tax crusader, Richard Rider of San Diego Tax Fighters points out the hard reality for Golden State residents. “If passed, California will advance from the third highest income tax state to numero uno. Any sane rich person HAS to be thinking of moving out of the state.”
Rider explains that Maryland already enacted a smaller tax proposal with some glaring results. “About three years ago, Maryland raised its millionaires income tax. The following year, one out of every eight millionaires no longer filed Maryland income tax forms. A few died – the rest left. The net Maryland tax revenue from millionaires declined – and the state economy suffered from the loss of the big spenders. And the Maryland tax increase was only a FRACTION of the huge percentage increase being proposed by Governor Brown.”
To find out how dreadful California taxes are compared to the nation, please click Richard Rider’s Breaking Bad blog for complete up-to-date tax information; http://open.salon.com/blog/richard_rider/2011/11/30/breaking_bad_ca_vs_the_other_states_rev_112611
San Diego’s Stop Taxing Us has also indicated that the state doesn’t have a revenue problem, but a spending problem.
"The State of California is in the middle of a budget crisis and revenue is not the problem," said Dr. Gary Gonsalves, MD, the co-founder of Stop Taxing Us. "We have structural spending issues which must be fixed if the government of California is to live within its means." Gonsalves cites one of the biggest offenders is the state pension crisis and transfer payment programs. This is just a math problem. We can't raise taxes anymore; the people won't stand for it. If we can't raise taxes, how can we balance our budget? We have to cut spending."
Rhonda Deniston, a director of Stop Taxing Us, argued against the higher taxes being proposed in Sacramento. "Every time California raises taxes, productive individuals flee the state, taking businesses and jobs with them."
In an effort to curb California’s spending problem, Stop Taxing Us has proposed “The Promise to California Taxpayers. We intend to offer the Promise as a way for fiscal conservatives, regardless of party affiliation, to articulate clearly that raising taxes is something they will never, ever do. We want to make it easy for candidates to tell the voters where they stand. Additionally, we want California taxpayers to know which candidates protect them and, should the unfortunate happen...that is... if a candidate breaks his/her promise in office, we want to let the taxpayers know that their governing actions were inconsistent with their campaign rhetoric," said Brian Brady of Stop Taxing Us.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Sophisticated San Diego border tunnel discovered
A sophisticated cross-border tunnel was located Tuesday that connected Tijuana, Mexico to San Diego. Investigators explained the tunnel netted more than 32 tons of marijuana and six arrests.
The 612-yard elaborate passageway consisted of ventilation, electric rail-like cars, electricity, reinforced walls and wooden floors.
The tunnel’s Tijuana entrance was accessed by a hydraulically-controlled steel door and an elevator located beneath the storehouse floor.
The discovery of the drug smuggling tunnel came after Customs and Border Protection (CBP) followed a tractor trailer loaded with drugs to Los Angeles. CBP agents alerted San Diego authorities once the driver and three other Hispanic individuals unloaded the contents into a nondescript warehouse.
Once U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) moved in, they took custody and seized approximately 11 tons of marijuana packed inside the truck's trailer. Federal agents said their actions resulted in the interdiction of more than 32 tons of marijuana with an estimated street value of nearly $65 million.
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The tunnel task force said they were confident the passageway was recently open.
"From the conditions inside the passageway and our ongoing investigation, we're confident we've been able to shut this operation down before the perpetrators were able to use it for smuggling narcotics," said Derek Benner, special agent in charge for ICE HSI in San Diego. "It's clear though, from the level of sophistication involved, that the criminal organization responsible for constructing this tunnel had very ambitious plans."
Staying one-step ahead of the drug-cartels tunneling tactics is the result of the multi-agency task force that focuses solely on drug and human smuggling along the southwest border.
"This is yet again an example of what can be achieved when law enforcement agencies join forces to address a common threat," said San Diego Chief Patrol Agent Paul A. Beeson. "It clearly demonstrates that the hard work of the men and women on this interagency taskforce can and will make a significant impact on the security of our nation."
"The Tunnel Task Force, working together with the Government of Mexico, is putting a stranglehold on the cartels' ability to smuggle drugs into the United States," said William R. Sherman, acting special agent in charge of the DEA in San Diego. "Seizing close to 50 tons of marijuana in one month denies the cartels the financial means to continue their operations."
The San Diego Tunnel Task Force consists of representatives from ICE HSI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the California Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
The 612-yard elaborate passageway consisted of ventilation, electric rail-like cars, electricity, reinforced walls and wooden floors.
The tunnel’s Tijuana entrance was accessed by a hydraulically-controlled steel door and an elevator located beneath the storehouse floor.
The discovery of the drug smuggling tunnel came after Customs and Border Protection (CBP) followed a tractor trailer loaded with drugs to Los Angeles. CBP agents alerted San Diego authorities once the driver and three other Hispanic individuals unloaded the contents into a nondescript warehouse.
Once U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) moved in, they took custody and seized approximately 11 tons of marijuana packed inside the truck's trailer. Federal agents said their actions resulted in the interdiction of more than 32 tons of marijuana with an estimated street value of nearly $65 million.
Advertisement
The tunnel task force said they were confident the passageway was recently open.
"From the conditions inside the passageway and our ongoing investigation, we're confident we've been able to shut this operation down before the perpetrators were able to use it for smuggling narcotics," said Derek Benner, special agent in charge for ICE HSI in San Diego. "It's clear though, from the level of sophistication involved, that the criminal organization responsible for constructing this tunnel had very ambitious plans."
Staying one-step ahead of the drug-cartels tunneling tactics is the result of the multi-agency task force that focuses solely on drug and human smuggling along the southwest border.
"This is yet again an example of what can be achieved when law enforcement agencies join forces to address a common threat," said San Diego Chief Patrol Agent Paul A. Beeson. "It clearly demonstrates that the hard work of the men and women on this interagency taskforce can and will make a significant impact on the security of our nation."
"The Tunnel Task Force, working together with the Government of Mexico, is putting a stranglehold on the cartels' ability to smuggle drugs into the United States," said William R. Sherman, acting special agent in charge of the DEA in San Diego. "Seizing close to 50 tons of marijuana in one month denies the cartels the financial means to continue their operations."
The San Diego Tunnel Task Force consists of representatives from ICE HSI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the California Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
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