ACTT Partners Participate in 14-Day Vekol Valley Operation

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1st Iteration of Vekol Valley Ops for FY12

Tucson, Ariz. – From October 9 – 22, the Alliance to Combat Transnational Threats (ACTT), operating ongoing multi-agency enforcement activities in Arizona, conducted the first iteration of Vekol Valley Operations for Fiscal Year 2012.

The multi-agency operation, led by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as part of BLM’s Operation ROAM (Reclaim our Arizona Monuments), concentrated efforts in Vekol Valley. The other agencies participating in this operation were:

·         Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS)
·         United States Border Patrol – Tucson and Yuma Sectors
·         Customs and Border Protection Office of Air & Marine (OAM)
·         Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
·         ICE Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO)
·         United States Attorney’s Office
·         Pinal County Sheriff’s Office
·         Pinal County Attorney’s Office
·         Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office – HIDTA Task Force
·         Eloy Police Department

Intelligence gathered and shared between the agencies led to:

Arrests

·         63 Illegal Aliens
·         2 USC’s

Seizures

·         4153.6 Marijuana (Pounds)
·         Methamphetamine (grams)

Vehicles

·         11 Seized
·         3 Recovered
·         5895 pounds of trash cleaned up and removed

The operation, which utilized Border Patrol detection equipment as well as air assets from CBP OAM, displayed unprecedented levels of cooperation, coordination and communication between agencies across Arizona to deny, degrade, disrupt and dismantle smuggling organizations. The Border Patrol is committed to working with Federal, State, Local and Tribal law enforcement agencies to keep our communities safe.

“ACTT leverages the diversity of all the participating agencies and leads to a better outcome for everyone, most importantly the public. The coordination and partnership among the agencies helps to provide a safer and more secure environment for the public, employees and users of public lands; it also helps protect public land resources and values from the effects of smuggling. BLM’s success on our borderlands is dependent on our partnership in this alliance.”

Jon Young, Bureau of Land Management, State Chief Ranger - Arizona

CBP welcomes assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol by calling (877) 872-7435 toll free. All calls will be answered and remain anonymous.

CBP announced the JFC-AZ in February 2011 as an organizational realignment that brings together the Tucson and Yuma Border Patrol Sectors and their Air Branches, as well as the Tucson Field Office, under a unified command structure. JFC-AZ integrates CBP’s border security, commercial enforcement and trade facilitation missions to more effectively meet the unique challenges faced in Arizona. Follow us on Twitter @CBPArizona or visit the Arizona website for more information.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.