AZMEX UPDATE 28 OCT 2012
Note: This story disappeared pretty quickly from local media. We
checked with DPS this morning, about the unusual development, that
the vehicles do not appear to be stolen. Quite unusual.
7 detained, over $100K of marijuana seized in vehicle stop
By Laurie Merrill
The Republic | azcentral.com
Sun Oct 28, 2012 9:15 PM
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/20121028marijuana-seized-
arrests-stop.html
Seven people were apprehended and more than $100,000 of marijuana was
seized early Sunday after an Arizona Department of Public Safety
officer stopped a vehicle near Maricopa and evaded a truck that tried
to ram him, a spokesman says.
The attempted police car ramming by the driver of a Nissan pick-up
truck appears to be a tactic in the drug war, said DPS spokesman Bart
Graves. The Nissan and a second truck seemed to be trying to distract
the officer from discovering a half dozen bales of marijuana in a
third car, a Cadillac Escalade, Graves said.
Officers were still searching for the Nissan truck driver, who fled
the scene with others, Graves said.
The incident began unfolding at 8:30 a.m. Sunday when a DPS officer
headed north on State Route 347 attempted to pull over a Ford F150
pick-up truck, said Graves.
As he was stopping the Ford, he looked in his rear-view mirror and
saw that the Nissan pick-up truck accelerating and about to ram the
rear of his Chevrolet Tahoe, Graves said.
"The Nissan pick-up truck tried to strike our officer's car,"
said Graves.
The driver had apparently interrupted a caravan of three cars, a
Cadillac Escalade truck in the lead, followed by the Ford and the
Nissan, Graves said.
The officer evaded the collision by pulling swiftly onto the
shoulder, Graves said.
"He has patrolled that area for years, he has seen about every thing
there is to see," Graves said of the K9 officer.
The Nissan driver pulled over and the occupants fled into the
dessert, Graves said.
Meanwhile, it appeared that the Escalade driver was also accelerating
in an attempt to ram the officer's car, but instead headed north on
the highway, Graves said.
After the Escalade was stopped, DPS seized about six bales of
marijuana, about $100,000 worth, from the truck bed, Graves said. He
said the marijuana hadn't been weighed as of Sunday afternoon.
It appeared that the Nissan and Ford had been deployed to keep police
from finding the marijuana, Graves said.
"What is significant here is these distracting vehicles," Graves
said. "That is how desperate these guys have become. They will do
anything to prevent authorities from seizing their drugs."
It appears that the occupants of the Nissan tossed weapons into the
desert as they ran, Graves said, which officers were seeking.
DPS officers were interviewing the seven suspects and had not made
arrests late Sunday afternoon, Graves said.
The United States Border Patrol, Chandler police and a Phoenix police
helicopter joined the search for the occupants of the Nissan, most of
whom tried to flee on foot, Graves said. "We couldn't have done
it without them," Graves said.
Officer caught in middle of drug run
Posted: Oct 28, 2012 6:30 PM MST
Updated: Oct 28, 2012 7:21 PM MST
By Jadiann Thompson - bio |
http://www.kpho.com/story/19938284/officer-caught-in-middle-of-drug-
run
MARICOPA, AZ (CBS5) -
Several people were arrested and nearly $100,000 in pot was seized
near Maricopa Sunday morning after a suspect tried to ram into a
patrol car, according to the Department of Public Safety.
Police said a DPS officer noticed the driver of a Cadillac Escalade
speeding on State Route 347 near Maricopa. Before the officer could
turn on the lights in his patrol car, "He looked in his rearview
mirror and saw a vehicle behind him trying to ram him," said DPS
spokesperson Bart Graves.
Three vehicles total were involved, the Escalade and two other Nissan
pickup trucks, carrying nine people, according to DPS.
Police said the two Nissan trucks were there to distract police from
the drugs in the Cadillac.
"The heat vehicle is trying to do something to distract the officer
from going after what we call the load vehicle," said Graves, "This
is unusual to try to run our patrol vehicle off the road at a high
rate of speed."
Nearly $100,000 in marijuana was seized from the Escalade.
Graves said, "347 is become one of the options for drug smugglers to
try to get their load up to the Valley."
Border Patrol and the Chandler Police Department were called for backup.
The driver of the truck who tried to ram the officer stopped and six
people armed with guns ran into the desert, according to police. Five
of them were arrested. The driver is on the loose and armed with a
handgun. Border Patrol agents are searching for that suspect.
The two other vehicles escaped, but were later stopped on a freeway
in Phoenix and the occupants were arrested.
Police said the vehicles used were not stolen and that those involved
are suspected undocumented immigrants.
Note: more of same story. Fun quote: "It seems SR 347 is commonly
used for criminal activity"
Police: Drug smugglers intended to run officer off road
Posted: Oct 28, 2012 8:15 PM MST
Updated: Oct 28, 2012 9:54 PM MST
By Kristen Keogh, FOX 10 News - bio
http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/19938539/2012/10/28/police-group-of-
vehicles-intended-to-run-officer-off-road
CHANDLER, Ariz. -
A police officer was nearly forced off the road during a routine
traffic stop because officers say the driver's car was filled with
marijuana.
"He looked in his rear view mirror and saw a vehicle trying to ram
him," said Bart Graves, with the Department of Public Safety.
When a lone officer tried to pull over a white Escalade Sunday, he
was nearly forced off of State Route 347 through Chandler.
"I've seen this tactic before, where the heat vehicle is doing
something to distract the officer from going after the load vehicle,"
said Graves.
The heat vehicle was a Nissan Titan truck with a male driver going
about 80 mph. The driver was trying to prevent the officer from
stopping the Escalade; the SUV was hauling about $1 million worth of
marijuana.
"This is unusual, to try to run a patrol vehicle off the road,
endangering the officer. Thank goodness our officers are okay," said
Graves.
Officers believe this was a rehearsed tactic intended to be more
dangerous, but the female driver of the load vehicle panicked.
"The female tries to turn her car to try to ram our officer but she
changed her mind and got back on the road and starts going," said
Graves.
It seems SR 347 is commonly used for criminal activity but DPS said
smugglers won't be able to sneak through just because they're staying
off the interstate.
"They'd be incorrect because with our partners with Border Patrol and
Chandler Police, we are there on the highways and we're looking for
them," said Graves.
Note: From Sonora.
Posted October 28, 2012, 1:49 AM
Another arsenal seized for second day
Military raids intensify
In the Caborca region, elements of Army seized two "goat horns",
a submachine gun and several magazines in a van.
High-powered rifles, handguns, grenades, cartridges and accessories
were seized in Nogales
Nogales, Sonora. - Nuevo Dia
http://www.nuevodia.com.mx/local/intensifican-militares-cateos/
A total of ten assault rifles, AK-47, were secured by military
personnel in the two seizures recorded in this border in vehicles
that had been reported as stolen and an additional finding in the
Caborca region, verified Friday.
According to reports from the Ministry of National Defense, was
reported by the Commander of the 45 / a. Military Zone, informs the
public that within the framework of the Comprehensive Strategy of the
Mexican state against Drug Trafficking and Organized Crime, troops of
the territorial command, said the following ":
"On the 26th, at two different events, military troops, to conduct
ground surveys in the urban area of Nogales, Sonora, claimed that:
Four rifles, a grenade, two smoke grenades, 646 cartridges of
different calibers, 36 magazines for various weapons, a vehicle
reported as stolen (SUV Nissan Murano), and various tactical
equipment. "
In the second event, verified in another colony, were "four rifles, a
handgun, two smoke grenades, a vehicle reported as stolen (Mistubishi
van), 72 magazines for various weapons, 430 rounds of different
calibers and different tactical equipment ".
They also reported that on October 25, military troops, while
conducting ground surveys in the Caborca area, , seized "two
rifles, a handgun, 14 magazines for various weapons, 314 rounds of
different calibers , a package containing marijuana and a vehicle
(Ford, extended cab, dark gray).
"The insured was made available to the relevant authorities," he
said, detainees were not reported.
The Army said: "Through these actions, the National Defense
Secretariat contributes to the safety of the country confirming its
commitment to combat drug trafficking and frontally organized crime
undermining its operational capacity in the interest of safety of
Mexican society, emphasizing that all activities undertaken by
military personnel are attached to right, always respecting human
rights. "
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