AZMEX UPDATE 16 OCT 2013
Note: zero tolerance for citizens on such stops.
Pair whose traffic stop prompted immigration protest released
8 hours ago • By Carli Brosseau Arizona Daily Star
The two men detained last week after a traffic stop escalated into an immigration-policy protest have been released from the custody of federal immigration authorities.
They appeared Tuesday at a news conference held at Southside Presbyterian Church, a congregation with a long history of immigration-related activism.
The driver, Agustin Reyes, and his passenger, Arturo Robles, thanked activists for their support during the protest and the letter-writing and petition-signing campaigns that followed.
The news conference was organized to celebrate the men's release and highlight the negative impact of immigration enforcement on families.
Activists from Corazón de Tucson and Southside Worker Center say they raised $1,500 for each man's bail. They reiterated their demands that Tucson Police Department change its vehicle impound and immigration-related policies.
Two women detained by the Border Patrol during the confrontation but not involved in the traffic stop — Rosa Leal and Mari Galup — also have been released.
Federal officials were unavailable to comment because of the partial government shutdown.
Meanwhile, TPD released its first written account of its response to the spontaneous protest, which ended with the use of pepper spray and pepper balls shot at activists' feet.
The documents show that the traffic stop, which led to a citation for an unlighted license plate, almost didn't happen. Officer Fabian Valdez noticed that the license plate of a 1999 Ford van was improperly lighted while he was driving near East 22nd Street and Herbert Avenue, according to his account. The car then turned into a private housing parking lot before he was able to pull it over. He waited for "several minutes," then decided to resume his patrol duties. But as he prepared to leave, the vehicle turned out in front of him, Valdez wrote. He followed the van to West 22nd Street and South 10th Avenue and pulled it over near Southside Presbyterian Church.
Reyes and Robles were unable to provide identification and refused to answer the officer's further questions, so Valdez contacted Border Patrol to investigate their immigration status.
Soon, more than 100 protesters surrounded them.
END
Note: Have heard that there may be more than reported here.
210 pounds of marijuana dropped by ultra-lite aircraft
Published/Last Modified on Wednesday, October 16, 2013 11:05 AM MDT
TRISHA MALDONADO | DOUGLAS DISPATCH
Submitted Photo An ultra-lite aircraft dropped 210 pounds of marijuana approximately seven miles north of Plantation Road on October 17. The drugs were intercepted by U.S. Border Patrol agents.
On October 17 at approximately 12 a.m. U.S. Border Patrol agents intercepted an ultra-lite aircraft about seven miles north of Plantation Rd.
According to a statement from U.S. Border Patrol one of their cameras spotted the ultra-lite aircraft. Using an unarmed unmanned air-craft system (UAS) they were able to follow the aircraft.
The ultra-lite aircraft made a drop of 210 pounds of marijuana then flew south. Agents were able to recover the drugs which have a street value of $105,000.
U.S. Border Patrol used to see the use of ultra-lite aircrafts often but about three years ago have moved out of Arizona.
USBP UAS were first used in the southwest border in 2005 and along the northern border in 2009.
The UAS program focuses on anti-terrorism by helping to identify and intercept potential terrorists and illegal border crossing activity.
end
Yuma agents seize $500k of heroin
October 15, 2013 6:03 PM
FROM STAFF REPORTS
Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Blythe Station in California arrested a smuggling suspect and seized more than $500,000 worth of heroin (SEEN HERE) Saturday afternoon. After stopping a car, agents reportedly found anomalies in the driver's story, leading to the reported discovery of 17.35 pounds of heroin hidden within the trunk of the vehicle. The driver is a Mexican citizen with legal permanent resident status in the United States. The man and the narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
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