ACTT Partners Participate in 14-Day Silver Bell Operation During an Outbound Enforcement Operation

Tucson, Ariz. – Operation Silver Bell, a high-profile interdiction operation focused on the Silver Bell and Sawtooth Mountain areas west of Interstate 10, started Jan. 29 and ended Feb. 11. The operation focused on identifying new smuggling trends and disrupting transnational criminal organizations from continuing their operations.

The multi-agency 14-day operation, led by the Bureau of Land Management – is part of the Alliance to Combat Transnational Threats. The other agencies participating in this operation were:

Casa Grande Border Patrol Station

Tucson Border Patrol Station
Arizona Department of Public Safety-Vehicle Theft Interdiction Unit (VTI)
Oro Valley Police Department
Marana Police Department
Pima County Sheriff’s Office Border Crimes Unit
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)-Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO)
Gila River Police Department
Eloy Police Department

Intelligence gathered and shared between the agencies led to: 241 arrests, 3976.7 pounds of marijuana seized, 19 vehicle seizures, and five firearms seized.

This operation, which utilized Border Patrol detection equipment as well as air assets from Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Air and Marine, displayed unprecedented levels of cooperation, coordination and communication between agencies to deny, degrade, disrupt and dismantle smuggling organizations. The Border Patrol is committed to working with federal, state, lLocal and tribal law enforcement agencies to keep our communities safe.

“Each agency brings added value to the table. Everyone has a different skill set and by working together we get the benefit of all of them,” said Jon Young, State Chief Ranger-Arizona, Bureau of Land Management.

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.

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.