Smugglers moving cargo through forest boundaries

[Jeffshadows]

Not that this is really "news" to most of us; but the fact that law enforcement is taking it more seriously might be...

Smugglers moving cargo through forest boundaries

by Lorraine Rivera

If you enjoy the great outdoors, you could start to see more reinforcements here in Southern Arizona.

Beginning next month the U.S. Forest Service will deploy ten additional law enforcement officers equipped with K-9 units. The agency says it's in response to smuggling activity through various mountain ranges in Southern Arizona.

Bob Aydelotte has been a law enforcement officer for 20 years, he first encountered smuggling activity in 1991, "They may be using the trail, they may be on the trail, they may be camped in the drainage," he said. He said the new agents are necessary, "It's to move those people out; we will never stop it but we want to the public to enjoy this area."

Popular recreation spots include the Pajarita Wilderness and Madera Canyon. The Forest Service placed signs warning people of the possibility of encountering smuggling activity.

Aydelotte said, "You may encounter people that are doing illegal trafficking or whatever in your daily adventure," but he maintains enjoying the wilderness is safe, "It's as safe as anywhere else you want it to be you have to be aware of your surroundings not only for people but also for the animals," he said.

And there's more than smuggling activity, Aydelotte showed News 4 three vehicles abandoned on federal lands, "It's not profitable for a towing company or a salvage company to get because there's not much to salvage. They spend more money [...] to come get them to get them crushed than they make off them."

The Forest Service says four officers will patrol the Sierra Vista region, another four will be in Nogales and two will be in Douglas. They are expected to begin sometime in August.

[azdesertfather]

how sad. i interviewed a border patrol guy in ajo for a paper i wrote in seminary a few years ago, and he said even then it's almost impossible to deal with illegal immigrants because of having to deal with drug smugglers in armored black jeeps zooming across the border at full speed with guns.

anyone ready to see a wall go up yet?

[chumley]

the U.S. Forest Service will deploy ten additional law enforcement officers

So that should bring the total number of law enforcement officers up to ... ten!

http://hikearizona.com/phoZOOM.php?ZIP=65348

[Jeffshadows]

the U.S. Forest Service will deploy ten additional law enforcement officers

So that should bring the total number of law enforcement officers up to ... ten!

http://hikearizona.com/phoZOOM.php?ZIP=65348

Yea, I think there were only two assigned to all of Coronado National Forest previous to this. That's a lot of area for two guys to cover.

[RedRoxx44]

I have a bunch of "I met illegals" hiking stories. The only one that was bad was when I saw armed ( looked liked AK's ) and oddly dressed folks in the Huachucas with big packs. I hid off the trail and waited till they passed and made sure they were well past me, when they went cross country and snuck back onto the trail and stayed low in the brush. That was a few years ago.
Hiking in So Cal I would see them a lot in southern Anza Borrego. Once a group of about 10 and myself sat in the end of a railroad tunnel waiting for the border patrol to finish running a chopper up and down Carrizo Gorge. No one was supposed to be hiking the tracks so I didn't want to be seen either. They sat on one side of the tracks down the tunnel aways and I sat on the other side near the exit about 2o minutes after we said hello to each other. Then they went on their way and I went on my hike.
Approached for a ride into Tucson once as we were getting out of a cave in the Canello Hills. We explained against the rules and gave directions to the nearest road.
Had a shotgun pointed my way by a rancher who was really teed off by the traffic once near the border, then the border patrol arrived and I explained I was trying to get to a certain canyon which had been locked off from the Arizona side ( I was in New Mexico). Once they realized I wasn't a smuggler the rancher invited me for dinner which I politely declined.

[Jeffshadows]

For the record: I can't blame those coming across for looking for a better life. Were the situation reversed I'd likely do the same for my family. It's the drugs and those who prey on the vulnerable that I take issue with. That, and all the trash left behind. I need to get the "tread lightly" pamphlet printed in Spanish for distribution down there...

[azbackpackr]

Legalize drugs. No more smugglers.

[te_wa]

it is believed by many that Mexico can already be considered a "colony" of the USA. Mexicans come here, work, then send money back home so those Mexicans can buy American products. What other definition of "colony" might we understand?

Legalizing drugs* is also shown to have a lessened percentage of use, at least on two societies. Im with ya Liz, it makes me sick also to think of the anti drug politicos (like McCain) who scream and shout about the dangers of Cannabis but then go home after work to have a Scotch or a Martini. Losers.

*i think legalizing at least marijuana will end the smuggling. it can be grown here, right in Pinetop.

[azbackpackr]

I just think back to the beginnings of the so-called "War on Drugs" when the dealers all cheered because the US government started cracking down at the Mexican border. This was back during Nixon's reign, as I recall. The dealers cheered because they were able to charge a lot more for product, right away. Soon after that was when you first started hearing about the violence amongst dealers and users, the shootings, etc. The government created the situation whereby the product became extremely valuable monetarily. Therefore, the government created dealer territory killings, drive-by shootings, etc.

[PaleoRob]

anyone ready to see a wall go up yet?

Not really. I like the idea of seeing Mexican wildlife like Jaguars when I'm hiking in southern Arizona.

[Jeffshadows]

anyone ready to see a wall go up yet?

Not really. I like the idea of seeing Mexican wildlife like Jaguars when I'm hiking in southern Arizona.

Anyone who has hiked the border ranges knows how quite impossible it will be to construct any type of meaningful barrier on that terrain.

[PaleoRob]

Impossibility hasn't stopped many ideas, unfortunately.

[Jeffshadows]

Well, they pulled it off on the DMZ in Korea; but the circumstances there were much different and the length of barrier much smaller. Additionally, the terrain was much more conducive. Let's hope these factors help promulgate reason on this issue, here...

[te_wa]

I think a bullet costs much less than a brick... but dont let me sway your opinion.

[Jeffshadows]

I think a bullet costs much less than a brick... but dont let me sway your opinion.

If you're talking about shooting smugglers then I have no disagreement; they chose to live by the sword, etc. Migrants are another issue, however...

[te_wa]

right... the smugglers Im talking about that sometimes pose a threat to our Border Patrol Agents. Still illegal immigration is against the law. If we cannot protect our borders with force (as opposed to "Asking" them not to come here) then how will we prevent crimes against our citizens?
Have you ever had a car stolen?
Have you been affected by 9/11 or other acts?
Have you known anyone who has become ill or died from illicit drug use?
Do you know how many American dollars are being sent to Mexico alone? (19 Billon a year, estimated)
What about our overcrowded AZ jails system that are holding Illegals? Do you know who pays for that?

[Jeffshadows]

Not to get off-topic but I can answer "yes" no nearly all of those questions (rhetorical though they may have been). Ironically, the five times now we've had vehicles broken into or nearly stolen there was strong evidence that each time it was a meth head; the last two times we know for sure they were white (and probably born here in AZ) since they left prints...

[nonot]

The American government didn't create the drug problem, it was always there. People will always be smugglers because other people often want illegal things...because they're illegal.

Money, greed, violence, murder, it's just all a circle. If people didn't buy the drugs, there would be no dealers, killings, or smuggling. People wouldn't risk their lives for something there is no money in.

As long as there is demand, everything will still be there. The price just goes up with more enforcement because it costs more to circumvent enforcement and is more risky for those involved.

Recreational drug users and addicts are the root of the problem, the rest is just a byproduct of greed, anarchist capitalism at its finest.

[Hoffmaster]

anarchist capitalism

I agree with all of the drug stuff that you said above. I don't hang around people who are, not am I myself, tied to the drug world in any way, shape or form. If those people want to continue killing themselves by shooting each other, and using the drugs, then fine... they can knock themselves out.

But using the words "anarchist" and "capitalism" in the same sentence, especially using "anarchist" to describe "capitalism" is equatable to treason in my book. Capitalism is part of what this country was founded on and is exactly what keeps this country great and innovative. Because of capitalism, everyone has a chance to succeed... and everyone has the chance to fail. But in a capitalist society, if you fail, you get to try to succeed again. How great is that? Any guaranty of success or "redistribution of wealth" is sure to make this country lazy (well, lazier) and second rate. Hopefully I read way too much into that comment.

[rally_toad]

I dont think he was talking about the same capitalism you are talking about. He was describing the type of "capitalism" that drives the dealers and the smugglers. That stuff is illegal. That is "anarchist capitalism".

I hope no one here would argue that the drug dealers and smugglers are doing the right thing because they are "capitalists".