Iraqi Army Kills 27 IS Jihadists in Mosul

MOSUL, Iraq – The Iraqi army announced on Friday that they have successfully stopped an attack by the Islamic State in the northern Iraqi province of Nineveh and killed 27 jihadists in the process, a security official told EFE.

The spokesman of operations command for the liberation of Nineveh, Gen. Feras Sabry, said the terrorists attacked the vehicles of an Iraqi army brigade.

He said that security forces were able to stop the attack and killed 27 IS fighters, including two suicide bombers, adding that Iraqi forces and the U.S.-led international coalition bombed the terrorists who fled after the foiled attack, without giving further details.

Meanwhile, three Iraqi policemen were also killed and four wounded in an attack by a car bomb in Nineveh on Friday.

CBP Canine Sniffs out 52 lbs of Meth in Car

Release Date: 

March 29, 2016

A CBP narcotics detection canine alerted officers to the discovery of nearly 52 pounds of meth within the vehicle rocker panels of a smuggling vehicle

TUCSON, Ariz. – Customs and Border Protection officers arrested a Mexican national on March 24 for attempting to smuggle almost 52 pounds of methamphetamine through the Dennis DeConcini crossing at the Port of Nogales.

Officers inspecting the vehicle of a 42-year-old woman found multiple packages of meth after a CBP narcotics-detection canine alerted to the drugs hidden inside the vehicle’s rocker panels when she attempted to enter the U.S.  

Officers seized the drugs and vehicle, and turned the subject – a legal permanent resident – over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

CBP Stops New Mexico Woman With Cocaine Load

EL PASO, Texas -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations officers working at the El Paso port of entry made a 12.2 pound cocaine seizure Tuesday. A 34-year-old female U.S. citizen from Albuquerque was taken into custody. The estimated street value of the seized contraband is $390,400.

“The thorough homeland security inspections CBP officers perform often generate other enforcement activity,” said Beverly Good, CBP El Paso Port Director. “During the first two days of the week CBP officers have identified 12 drug loads seizing 576 pounds of marijuana, 12.2 pounds of cocaine and 1.2 pounds of methamphetamine.”

The cocaine seizure was made just before 9 a.m. when a 2004 Ford Taurus with a lone driver arrived at the Ysleta international crossing from Mexico. A CBP officer at the primary inspection station selected the vehicle for a secondary exam. CBP drug sniffing dog “Tiran” searched the car and alerted to the upper trunk area of the vehicle. CBP officers scanned the vehicle with the Z-portal x-ray system and spotted an anomaly in the area between the rear seat and trunk. CBP officers continued their exam and located a compartment behind the rear set. A total of five cocaine-filled bundles were removed from the compartment.

CBP officers arrested the driver, Francis Jaramillo, of Albuquerque, New Mexico. She was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement HSI special agents to face charges associated with the failed drug smuggling attempt.

While anti-terrorism is the primary mission of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the inspection process at the ports of entry associated with this mission results in impressive numbers of enforcement actions in all categories.

Cross-Border Tunnel Found in Nogales, Arizona

TUCSON, Arizona – The U.S. Border Patrol on Tuesday reported finding a cross-border tunnel that originally had been discovered by Mexican authorities, who then provided information on it to U.S. immigration authorities so they could perform their own investigation.

Following up on the tip provided by Mexico, Border Patrol agents found the tunnel stretching approximately 10 meters (yards) into U.S. territory just east of the Morley pedestrian crossing point in Nogales, Arizona, which is known as the “drug tunnel capital.”

On Monday, in a cooperative action between the Border Patrol and Mexican authorities, the tunnel measuring 24.4 meters (about 80 feet) in length, all told, was found to be unfinished.

Since the first such illegal tunnel was found in 1990 in Douglas, Arizona, U.S. authorities have found more than 115 tunnels, 110 of them in the Nogales area, and have managed to seize more than 17,500 pounds of drugs that were being smuggled through them.

During the current fiscal year, which began on Oct. 1, authorities in the Tucson sector have found or been tipped off to three tunnels.

U.S. authorities said in a statement that agents put their lives in danger when they enter the tunnels to investigate them.

CBP P-3 Detects Semisubmersible (5.5 tons of cocaine )

Vessel, 5.5 tons of cocaine sink to bottom of ocean

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations (AMO) agents efforts in the Eastern Pacific Ocean lead to the arrest of four people and the disruption of more than 12,800 pounds of cocaine.

The cocaine had an estimated value of more than $193,939,000.  

The crew aboard a P-3 Long Range Tracker detected a self-propelled semi-submersible vessel Mar. 2, while conducting counter-narcotics operations withJoint Interagency Task Force (JIATF) South. 

A crew aboard a CBP P-3 Long Range Tracker detected a semisubmersible carrying 5.5 tons of cocaine

The task force coordinated an interdiction of the semi-submersible with a U.S. Coast Guard vessel in the area while the AMO crew maintained constant visual surveillance. Upon interdiction, the U.S. Coast Guard arrested four individuals operating the vessel.  The semi-submersible became unstable and sank.

“This type of cooperation and teamwork produces these kinds of results where suspects are arrested and narcotics prevented from reaching U.S. shores,” said Director John Wassong at the National Air Security Operations Center - Corpus Christi. “Our crews will continue to take every opportunity to disrupt this type of transnational criminal activity.”

CBP Air and Marine Operations P-3s are an integral part of the successful counternarcotic missions operating in coordination with JIATF South. AMO crews patrol within a 42-million-square-mile area which includes more than 41 nations and the Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and seaboard approaches to the United States.

In Fiscal Year 2015, AMO’s aircrews contributed to 198 seizure, disruption, or interdiction events in the transit zone, resulting in the interdiction of 213,000 pounds of cocaine.

Operation Martillo (Hammer) is a U.S., European, and Western Hemisphere effort targeting illicit trafficking routes in coastal waters along the Central American isthmus.  U.S. military participation is led by Joint Interagency Task Force South, a component of U.S. Southern Command. 

The U.S. contribution to the multinational detection, monitoring and interdiction operation includes U.S. Navy and Coast Guard vessels, aircraft from U.S. federal law enforcement agencies, and military and law enforcement units from various nations working together to deny transnational criminal organizations the ability to exploit these transshipment routes for the movement of narcotics, precursor chemicals, bulk cash, and weapons along Central American shipping routes.

Overall coordination of counter-drug patrols and surveillance in the Eastern Pacific is done by a joint interagency task force headquartered in Key West, Fla. U.S. maritime law enforcement and the interdiction phase of operations in the region occur under the tactical control of the 11th Coast Guard District headquartered in Alameda, Calif.

CBP Officers Seize More Than $300,000 in Cocaine at World Trade Bridge

LAREDO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers recently seized a significant amount of cocaine at World Trade Bridge.

“CBP has numerous layers of enforcement which are utilized on a daily basis,” said Port Director Gregory Alvarez, Laredo Port of Entry.  “The officers’ experience, training and knowledge of CBP technology played a role in the discovery of this hard narcotic.”

Packages containing 41 pounds of cocaine seized by CBP officers at World Trade Bridge

The seizure occurred on Wednesday, Mar. 23, when a CBP officer referred a 1995 International tractor, driven by a 32-year-old male Mexican citizen from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas for a non-intrusive inspection.  A canine and non-intrusive inspection by CBP officers resulted in the discovery of 15 packages allegedly containing 41 pounds of cocaine. The cocaine carries an estimated street value of $318,920.

CBP officers seized the narcotics and tractor. The case was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) special agents for further investigation.

Laredo Sector Border Patrol Agents Rescue Student

LAREDO, Texas – Border Patrol agents from the Laredo Sector rescued a teenager, United States Citizen, who was found in distress after playing in a ravine near the U.S. riverbanks.   

Border Patrol agents rescue student

On Tuesday, March 22, 2016 at approximately 4:30 p.m., agents assigned to the Laredo North Station all-terrain vehicle (ATV) unit were conducting their assigned duties near Father Charles M.  McNaboe Park, when they heard cries for help coming from a deep ravine located behind Washington Middle School.  The teenager and several other students had entered the ravine after school hours, but the student was left behind.  The student was trapped in the ravine for approximately an hour before agents found him.

 The student was unable to climb or find his way out of the ravine due to heavy brush and the steep incline.  Border Patrol agents successfully rescued the student, and after being evaluated by Border Patrol Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT), it was determined that no further medical attention was required.

The Washington Middle School staff and the United Independent School District (UISD) Police arrived at the scene and offered assistance.  The student was released to his mother.

“I commend our agents for their vigilance and quick actions in rescuing this student without hesitation. It is exemplary of their commitment and many contributions to our community that often goes unnoticed,” said Laredo Sector Chief Mario Martinez.