Texas Border Business
El Paso Sector Agents and our state partners disrupted a human smuggling scheme and a local stash house, totaling 42 migrants. Great work and communication by our interdiction teams in El Paso, Texas!
El Paso Stash House Shut Down
Former Gov. of Tamaulipas Sentenced to 9 Years for Money Laundering
Texas Border Business
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
HOUSTON, Texas – The former governor of Tamaulipas, Mexico, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for accepting over $3.5 million in illegal bribe money and using it to fraudulently purchase property in the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Tomas Yarrington Ruvalcaba, 66, was also a former candidate for president of Mexico. He pleaded guilty March 25, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera sentenced Yarrington to 108 months imprisonment. Not a U.S. citizen, Yarrington is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that as an elected official, Yarrington violated his oath of office, weakening the country of Mexico and promoting criminal activity. As part of his sentence, Yarrington has also forfeited a Port Isabel condominium.
“Even if you are governor of a Mexican state, we will not stand idly by when you use your position to wrongfully fill your pockets and violate the laws of the United States.” said Hamdani. “Today’s prison sentence for Yarrington concludes a multi-year, multi-agency international investigation spanning two continents concluding in bringing a corrupt politician to justice.”
“HSI relentlessly disrupts and dismantles transnational criminal organizations that pose a threat to U.S. national security, to include any corrupt public officials who use their position for criminal gain,” said Craig Larrabee, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in San Antonio. “HSI is dedicated and determined to investigate those involved in criminal activity and who launder their ill-gotten gains in the United States.”
Yarrington accepted bribes from individuals and private companies in Mexico to do business with the state of Tamaulipas while he served as governor. Yarrington was in that position from 1999 to 2005. He was also an Institutional Revolutionary Party candidate for president of Mexico in 2005.
Yarrington used the bribery money he received while governor to purchase properties in the United States. He had prestanombres – nominee buyers -purchase property in the United States to hide Yarrington’s ownership of the properties and the illegal bribery money used to purchase them. Yarrington laundered his illegally obtained bribe money in the United States by purchasing beachfront condominiums, large estates, commercial developments, airplanes and luxury vehicles.
“IRS-Criminal Investigation (CI) special agents are experts in following the money in a financial crime, and we found plenty of money to follow that helped to unravel Yarrington’s criminal enterprise,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Rodrick J. Benton of IRS-CI’s Houston Field Office. “Working alongside other law enforcement agencies, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the other U.S. and international partners helps U.S. taxpayers know that justice is a global concept and no criminal is out of reach.”
“The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), HSI, IRS-CI and FBI, along with our state, local and international law enforcement partners, were a force multiplier in this case who collaborated to halt the threat of corrupt money into our country,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the DEA – Houston Division. “There will always be zero tolerance for those who abuse their power for self-gain at our communities’ expense. This sentence highlights our continued commitment to bringing those who misuse that power to justice.”
“This individual took advantage of his position to enrich himself at the expense of those who trusted him,” said Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. of the FBI – San Antonio Division. “Today’s sentencing serves as a powerful reminder to any corrupt official that these activities will not be tolerated. The FBI remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to hold corrupt officials accountable to the communities they were sworn to serve.”
In April 2017, authorities captured Yarrington in Italy while traveling under an assumed name and false passport. He was taken into custody on a provisional arrest warrant based on the indictment returned in May 2013. Although Yarrington contested extradition, Italian authorities eventually authorized his extradition to the United States. He arrived in April 2018. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
HSI led the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation dubbed Operation Green Tide with the assistance of IRS – CI, DEA, FBI and Texas Attorney General’s Office. It included agents and officers in Brownsville, San Antonio, Houston, Corpus Christi and New York. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs handled the extradition in this matter. The U.S. government also acknowledges with gratitude the significant assistance received from the government of Mexico in the course of this investigation. Additionally, the United States acknowledges the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service, HSI-Rome, HSI-Mexico City, the Italian Ministry of the Interior (particularly Interpol Rome and the Central Operations Service of the Italian National Police) and the Italian Ministry of Justice in Yarrington’s extradition.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jody Young, Jon Muschenheim and Karen Betancourt are prosecuting the case.
Information Sources: FBI and USDOJ
Federal Trade Commission Launches Inquiry into Small Business Credit Reports
Texas Border Business
The Federal Trade Commission has launched an inquiry into the small business credit reporting industry, ordering five firms in that industry to provide the Commission with detailed information about their products and processes. The orders will be issued to Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Information Solutions, Equifax, Ansonia Credit Data, and Creditsafe USA.
“Like consumers, small businesses rely on fair and accurate credit reports in order to access key services. But because it isn’t covered by the same laws that apply to consumer services, credit reporting for businesses is tremendously opaque,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “This FTC inquiry will shine a much-needed light on the credit reporting industry and the related challenges that small businesses face.”
Unlike credit reports for individual consumers, which are governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, there is no federal law that specifically outlines processes and protections available to small businesses when it comes to credit reporting. This can make business credit reporting hard to understand, and it can be particularly difficult for small businesses to navigate how to correct errors or omissions in their credit reports in a timely fashion.
These reports can significantly affect small businesses, potentially impacting the terms on which they can obtain the goods, services, and equipment they need to stay in business. Because many of these credit reporting companies start developing a company’s credit report at the time it incorporates, tapping public records and other available financial data, business owners may not even be aware a report about them exists. Sometimes small businesses only discover they have a credit report when they are denied credit by a supplier.
The Commission’s inquiry will examine multiple aspects of how information is collected and processed for business credit reports, how the reports are marketed, and how and whether the credit reporting companies address factual errors in the reports. In addition to information about these topics, the orders also require the companies to provide information on services they provide to businesses to monitor or enhance their own credit reports.
Last April, the FTC secured an order with Dun & Bradstreet in which the company was required to make changes to its processes to help ensure that it responds promptly and fully to businesses’ complaints about incorrect information in their business credit reports, and to be upfront around the limitations of the company’s business credit reporting products. The company was also required to provide refunds to affected customers, and to make it easier for customers to cancel certain business credit report monitoring and managing products.
The FTC is issuing the orders under Section 6(b) of the FTC Act, which authorizes the Commission to conduct studies without a specific law enforcement purpose. The companies will have 60 days from the date they receive the order to respond.
The Commission vote to issue the orders was 4-0.
The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and protect and educate consumers. Learn more about consumer topics at consumer.ftc.gov, or report fraud, scams, and bad business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Follow the FTC on social media, read consumer alerts and the business blog, and sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts.
Paxton Calls on Biden to Enforce Immigration Laws
Texas Border Business
AUSTIN, Texas – Attorney General Ken Paxton testified before the Texas Senate Committee on Border Security today to discuss the worsening border crisis and the Biden Administration’s routine violations of the Constitution by refusing to enforce our immigration laws.
In his testimony, Attorney General Paxton said, “Since President Biden took office, Americans have watched in horror as the Federal government pursued a doctrine of open borders at any cost. This Administration routinely enacts immigration policies that violate the Constitution. Their agenda has enabled and emboldened drug cartels, worsening America’s epidemic of drug deaths. Their policies have enriched human traffickers by encouraging an influx of aliens to enter the country.”
Attorney General Paxton also stated, “As appalling as the border crisis is, Texas’s legal challenges have successfully halted numerous destructive policies that would have made it worse. We successfully sued to end President Biden’s pause on deportations of illegal aliens when he first took office. We successfully halted the Administration’s attempt to impede ICE arrests and deportations by imposing new enforcement ‘priorities’ that coddled entire classes of criminal illegal aliens. We successfully challenged President Biden’s attempt to dismantle the highly successful ‘Remain in Mexico’ program. Several times, we successfully challenged the Federal government’s effort to open the floodgates by scrapping Title 42, and we defeated their effort to expand the ‘Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals’ program. We have numerous other significant cases pending. I am confident we will prevail. As Attorney General, I will do everything I can to improve public safety, uphold rule of law, and protect the people of Texas.”
SBA’s Lower RGV District 2023 Small Business Week Awardees
Texas Border Business
HARLINGEN, Texas – Angela Burton, district director for the SBA’s Lower Rio Grande Valley District, announced the 2023 District Small Business Week awardees for five small business categories.
“It is with great honor we congratulate Arely Lugo, Beautiful Beginnings Child Care Learning Center, LLC as the Lower Rio Grande Valley District’s Small Business Person of the Year,” Burton stated.
Arely Lugo, a single mother of four from Brownsville, Texas, worked her way up to become the director of a local childcare learning center. Despite her success in childcare, Lugo opened a jewelry store called MaddAbbie’s, sparking an entrepreneurial fire. In 2015, using her childcare and business experience she successfully launched Beautiful Beginnings Child Care Learning Center. Despite challenges, including divorce and the COVID-19 pandemic, Lugo launched a second location in 2021.
The SBA Small Business Person of the Year award – part of National Small Business Week April 30-May 6, 2023 – recognizes small business owners who demonstrate staying power and substantiated history as an established business with at least three years of business operation. Winners must also show growth in net worth and business expansion, increase in jobs and sales, innovativeness of products or services, response to adversity, and contributions to community-oriented projects.
“National Small Business Week presents an opportunity to appreciate the significance of small businesses and acknowledge entrepreneurs who play a vital role in finding solutions, generating employment opportunities, and enhancing the development and prosperity of the region, Angela R. Burton, district director, Lower Rio Grande Valley District Office said.
2023 National Award Categories
Small Business Person of the Year
Arely Lugo, Beautiful Beginnings Child Care Learning Center, LLC, Brownsville, Texas, Self-Nominated
2023 District Director Awards
Minority Owned Small Business of the Year
Southside Paint and Body, Jesus Trevino Villarreal, Corpus Christi, Texas, nominated by Victoria Pannone, Rural Business Advisor, Del Mar College Small Business Development Center (SBDC).
Rural Owned Small Business of the Year
E&O Home Health Care Inc. dba Uresti Senior Assistance, Gilberto Uresti, Kingsville, Texas, nominated by Celia Garza, Rural Business Advisor, Del Mar College Small Business Development Center (SBDC).
Veteran Owned Small Business of the Year
Valley K-9 Detection Services, LLC, Daniel R. Villarreal, San Juan, Texas, Self-Nominated
Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year
CCTA Investments LLC dba CCC Services, Claudia Selene Muñoz, Edinburg, Texas, nominated by Cristina Cantu, Business Advisor, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Small Business Development Center (UTRGV-SBDC)
Since 1963, the President has issued a proclamation calling for a National Small Business Week celebration. SBA recognizes outstanding small business owners for their successes and contributions to our nation. For more information about National Small Business Week, visit www.sba.gov/nsbw.
Read more about the SBA Administrator Guzman Announcement of 2023 State Small Business Persons of the Year
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
Governor Denounces ESG Standards Harmful to U.S. Energy Sector
Texas Border Business
AUSTIN, Texas – Governor Greg Abbott today defended the nation’s energy industry in a letter to President Joe Biden that denounces the Biden Administration’s efforts to force environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) standards upon America’s investment funds. In the letter, the Governor points out that ESG requirements would directly threaten millions of American energy jobs—many of which are based in Texas—compromise American energy security, and further a trend of federal attempts to undermine the nation’s energy industry.
“Over the past two years, you have tried to stifle the American energy sector with your ESG fanaticism, your overly aggressive Environmental Protection Agency, and your favoritism of foreign oil over homegrown energy,” reads the letter. “As the Governor of Texas, I see firsthand the problems your policies have created for hard-working Americans looking for an opportunity to succeed. By pushing this radical ESG agenda, you are risking the lifelong savings of millions, for political points. I will continue to stand up for my constituents who rely upon the good-paying jobs of our energy industry. Anyone who puts their livelihood at risk will have a fight on their hands down in Texas.”
As the energy capital of the world, Texas has led efforts to defend this critical industry against the Biden Administration’s destructive energy policies. The Governor signed Senate Bill 13 last session that prohibits state contracts and investments with companies that boycott energy companies. In January 2021, Governor Abbott issued an executive order directing all state agencies to use all lawful powers and tools to challenge any federal action that jeopardizes the continued vitality and independence of the energy industry.
In his letter to President Biden, Governor Abbott asserts that Texas will expand anti-ESG efforts even further with legislation this session to protect the energy industry from insurance companies attempting to placate ESG advocates.
FBI’s Underwater Search and Evidence Response Team (USERT)
Texas Border Business
FBI – Daylight bounced off the surface of the Coosa River in Gadsden, Alabama, creating a soft luster over the relatively calm water. But below the surface, clouded with silt and mud, lay a secret that had been hidden for over 39 years.
In October 2022, a submerged vehicle was discovered in this section of the river—and local law enforcement believed this could be connected to an unsolved missing persons case.
They would need to examine the underwater scene, but the vehicle, a 1980 Ford Bronco, was filled with silt and mud up to the windshield. Any recovery would require an elite team of divers and underwater forensic specialists. Enter the FBI’s Underwater Search and Evidence Response Team (USERT).
FBI’s Dive Program
USERT comprises a group of highly trained FBI special agents tasked with searching for and recovering evidence underwater.
USERT grew out of the New York Field Office’s dive team, which was established in the 1980s. Initially, two agents who were recreational divers began finding weapons on their dives, many of which turned out to have connections to criminal cases. Word spread, and the requests for their special skillsets led to the creation of the New York Dive Team.
Today, USERT is part of the Evidence Response Team Unit (ERTU) within the FBI Laboratory. USERT divers are based out of the New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and Washington field offices and collaborate on cases across the country. With a total of 64 divers for the program, there are approximately 16 divers in each of the four field offices.
USERT members are not only expert divers—each one joined the FBI as an agent with a broad range of skillsets. Every agent can have a specialized collateral duty, in addition to their other responsibilities, which can take up to 25% of their time. USERT falls under this category, requiring tryouts to make the team and then rigorous training to prepare for the often grueling underwater work.
With USERT’s specialization, they get called in for the toughest underwater recovery cases.
As Supervisory Special Agent Brian Hudson, USERT program manager, explained: “We work on FBI cases and support local law enforcement—they’ll work the details of the case and collect the intelligence. Once they know something’s in the water, they’ll contact us to come out and search. We’ll recover the evidence, and based on chain of custody, we’ll give that evidence to the case agent or local law enforcement. They’ll send the items to a lab for further examination.”
Depending on the case, USERT may also work in international waters or assist fellow U.S. organizations. For instance, while the Coast Guard has their own maintenance divers, they do not have their own investigative dive team. In one case, USERT helped the Coast Guard recover large amounts of cocaine from a sunken drug running boat off the coast of Honduras. USERT has also been deployed to countries like Iraq to assist in investigations.
The Gadsden Dive and Aftermath
The challenge in the Gadsden case remained: how to remove the sediment from the submerged Ford Bronco so the team could search for evidence?
“A USERT forensics operational specialist created a suction dredge system in-house to help the team remove the mud,” said Hudson.
The windshield had already been knocked out, which let the dredge system pull the silt and mud out of the vehicle. Agents passed the mud through a screen to catch smaller pieces of potential evidence. Once the sediment was cleared, the divers could better conduct their search.
Ultimately, they found an almost complete skeleton. In addition, the divers found a wallet—still intact, along with a driver’s license, Goodyear ID, and social security card.
The identification documents matched those of Alan Livingston, who had been reported missing 39 years earlier. The skeletal remains— among the oldest underwater human remains the FBI has recovered—were sent to a lab for examination and a DNA test to confirm that they belonged to Livingston.
When Livingston went missing in 1983, the police didn’t have enough evidence to bring charges. The latest discoveries found in the Coosa River could change that—and finally bring closure to the case.
What does it take to join the FBI’s Underwater Search and Evidence Response Team (USERT)?
It’s certainly no easy feat—in addition to already being a special agent, USERT hopefuls must be certified divers and have exceptional physical and mental stamina. They must try out for the team and then complete rigorous basic training before embarking on a case.
Eligibility and Tryouts
Supervisory Special Agent Brian Hudson, USERT Program Manager, explained what it takes to qualify: “USERT is open to agents only. Once they are off probation, they are eligible to join. The main requirement is that you have a certification from an accredited diving organization, such as PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) or SSI (Scuba Schools International). As long as you’re a certified diver and have completed at least 10 dives, then you can try out for the team.”
Tryouts are held once a year. Hudson said that “the number of open slots is dependent on how many divers we lose during the year, usually due to people retiring, transferring, or leaving the team. Typically, each of the four dive teams will have one to two spots open.”
The tryouts consist of a swim test (laps in the pool) and an underwater skills assessment. “You’ll go down in the water and demonstrate various skills, such as removing your mask and putting it back on, taking gear off underwater and putting it back on, as well as performing emergency procedures in recreational diving,” said Hudson. “A lot of those skills are brought over from when you’re certified to scuba dive.”
Next, candidates must complete an underwater obstacle course and other tasks—all while wearing a blacked-out mask that simulates a real-life scenario where there’s often no visibility. Finally, potential team members participate in a panel interview with current USERT divers.
After completing the above, candidates will learn if they’ve made the team. But even if they don’t, they’re encouraged to try out again the following year.
And while current USERT divers don’t need to participate in the annual tryouts, they must pass an annual swim test, attend at least three quarterly trainings, and complete a minimum of two operational dives each year. “We ask for a three-year commitment, but divers can stay on the team as long as they want if they meet the annual requirements,” said Hudson
Training
Making it through tryouts is just the beginning of the USERT journey—the next step is to “turn qualifying candidates into USERT divers,” said Hudson. “So, you did your recreational diving, but what we’re doing is definitely not recreational diving.”
Trainees go through USERT Basic, an intense two-week certification course that’s held once a year in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. USERT Basic includes instruction in:
- Dry suit diving
- Underwater navigation
- Full-face mask diving
- Dive helmets
- Rescue diving
- Surface-supplied air
- Boat diving
- Emergency oxygen administration
- Public safety diving
- Deep diving
“You start in the dry suit and in the standard AGA facemask and learn the different search techniques we use,” explained Hudson. “As the course goes on, we introduce new equipment and scenarios.
“For example, you’ll have the dry suit and the AGA, but you’ll be learning emergency procedures. Then we start adding metal detectors and then move to surface air supply systems. We also cover things like how to lift a car underwater. When you’re done, you’ll pretty much have touched on and learned every basic piece of equipment we use.”
On the final day of training, USERT stages weapons in a Miami canal, where the trainees must successfully retrieve them. “It’s a dirty environment like they’re going to face once they’re on a real job,” explained Hudson, who also noted that criminals tend to dispose of evidence in places that aren’t easy to search. “We put divers to work. We have one instructor running the dive supervisor role, but the rest of the positions are covered by the trainees. They have to unload and set up the gear, conduct their dive, find the weapons we’ve thrown in, and then break everything down and clean it.”
In addition to these physical and tactical skillsets, Hudson stressed that it’s also important for USERT divers to stay calm under pressure and problem solve: “As you dive in water where there’s zero visibility, sometimes issues come up, and keeping calm and not panicking is the key to staying safe.”
Throughout their careers with USERT, divers have opportunities to learn new skills, including courses in boat driving, SONAR (Sound Navigation and Ranging), and ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicles). Training is also provided to refresh skills and to prepare the team for specific diving environments in conjunction with their assignments—which could range from how to dive under ice to how to dive and swim through fast-moving currents.
“They’re perishable skills, so you need to keep training,” said Hudson.
Meet the Agent: Supervisory Special Agent and USERT Program Manager Brian Hudson
Diving is what I’ve been doing for a while—I’ve been diving since about 2001 when I got certified in PADI, and I worked at a dive shop in college.
I joined the Bureau in 2011. My first office was Miami. Even though I didn’t join the Bureau to become a diver, it was lucky that my first office was Miami because that’s one of the four field offices that has a dive team [USERT]. I wanted a collateral duty and diving was something I enjoyed doing, so it was right up my alley to take the skillsets I had from diving and apply them to my work. It was an opportunity to “do what you love.” The option to dive with the FBI was awesome.
I stayed on as a diver until about 2019 and then spent about two years as a USERT training coordinator. In 2021, I became the USERT program manager. When it comes to managing USERT, I have myself and two other supervisory special agents. We also have a forensic operational specialist who works with us. We manage the budget and act as the focal point for when field offices have requests for jobs—they send the requests to us and then we assign the teams and program training to prepare the divers.
El Paso CBP Officers Seize Fentanyl, Meth & Cocaine
Texas Border Business
EL PASO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at El Paso area ports of entry intercepted approximately 121 pounds of methamphetamine, 30 pounds of fentanyl and 0.58 pounds of cocaine in the span of one week. Concealment methods included hidden compartments in vehicles and body carriers.
“Our dedicated CBP Officers continued vigilance in protecting the border achieves daily results”, said CBP El Paso Director Field Operations Hector A. Mancha. CBP Officers are faced with an array of smuggling attempts and concealment methods, yet they remain dedicated to disrupting the flow of dangerous narcotics from entering our country and reaching our communities.”
On March 8, at the Santa Teresa Port of Entry, Santa Teresa, New Mexico, CBP officers intercepted 111 pounds of methamphetamine. The narcotics were located following a non-intrusive inspection of a vehicle driven by 39-year-old male Mexican citizen.
On March 9, at the Ysleta Port of Entry, CBP officers intercepted .26 pounds of methamphetamine. The discovery was made following pat down search of a 27-year-old male, U.S. citizen who arrived via the pedestrian lanes. The methamphetamine was located around the thighs and groin area.
Later that same day at the Ysleta Port of Entry, CBP officers encountered two additional body carriers with a combined 0.58 pounds of cocaine and 1.72 pounds of methamphetamine. The individuals were both minors who arrived via the pedestrian lanes.
On March 12, at the Bridge of the Americas Border Crossing, CBP officers intercepted a mixed load of 26 pounds of fentanyl and 8.5 pounds of methamphetamine. The narcotics were located following a CBP canine and non-intrusive inspection of a vehicle driven by 19-year-old male Mexican citizen.
On March 13, at the Ysleta Port of Entry, CBP officers intercepted .09 pounds of fentanyl. The discovery was made following CBP canine and pat down search of a 32-year-old male, U.S. citizen who arrived via the vehicle lanes. The fentanyl was located around the groin area.
On March 14, at the Paso Del Norte Border Crossing, CBP officers intercepted .05 pounds of fentanyl. The discovery was made following CBP canine and pat down search of a 28-year-old female, U.S. citizen who arrived via the pedestrian lanes. The fentanyl was located within the vaginal cavity.
Later that same day at the Ysleta Port of Entry, CBP officers intercepted 2.65 pounds of fentanyl. The narcotics were located following a CBP canine search of a vehicle driven by 20-year-old male U.S. citizen.
The subjects arrested by CBP officers were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations and/or state and local authorities for prosecution.
CBP Officers Seize $1.4M in Hard Narcotics at Hidalgo Intnl. Bridge
Texas Border Business
HIDALGO, Texas—U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers assigned to the Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry recently seized cocaine and methamphetamine that totaled over $1.4 million in street value in a single enforcement action.
“This significant poly-drug load of cocaine and methamphetamine is typical of what we have been seeing in recent months, it underscores the seriousness of the drug threat we face and the resolve of our officers to utilize their training, experience and technology to meet that threat head on,” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry.
The seizure occurred on Tuesday, March 14 at Hidalgo International Bridge when CBP officers referred a passenger vehicle driven by a 20-year-old U.S. citizen for secondary inspection. Upon further examination, including the use of non-intrusive inspection systems, CBP officers discovered 44 packages containing a total of 102 pounds of alleged cocaine and five bags containing 11 pounds of alleged methamphetamine hidden within the vehicle. The narcotics had a combined estimated street value of $1,471,311.
CBP seized the narcotics and vehicle. Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) special agents arrested the driver and initiated a criminal investigation.
Governor Abbott Announces Support for Texas CHIPS Act
Texas Border Business
AUSTIN, Texas – Governor Greg Abbott today announced his support for the proposed Texas CHIPS Act legislation at a press conference at the Texas Capitol in Austin. The proposed Texas CHIPS Act would leverage Texas’ investments in the semiconductor industry, encourage semiconductor-related companies to expand in the state, leverage the expertise and capacity at Texas higher education institutions, and maintain Texas’ position as the nation’s leader in semiconductor manufacturing.
“Texas is the birthplace of the integrated circuit, and we have since risen as the number one state in America for semiconductor manufacturing,” said Governor Abbott. “In order to achieve our promise for the remainder of this century, we need to pass the Texas CHIPS Act. This is a national competition to design and build the future of semiconductors, and it is a race that Texas must win for our state, our workforce, our national security, and our future. With this legislation, Texas will not only remain number one in America for semiconductors—we will be number one in the world. I thank Chairman Bonnen and Chairman Huffman for proposing this important legislation so that Texas can have the tools needed to continue our dominance in this critical industry.”
The Governor was joined at the press conference by Texas CHIPS Act authors Senate Finance Committee Chair Joan Huffman and House Appropriations Chair Dr. Greg Bonnen, as well as Senator Brian Birdwell, Representative Angie Chen Button, Representative John Kuempel, Texas A&M Chancellor John Sharp, The University of Texas President Jay Hartzell, and other higher education, industry, and business leaders.
The Texas CHIPS Act would create the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium to sustain Texas leadership in advanced semiconductor research, design, and manufacturing; leverage the expertise of Texas’ higher education institutions and stakeholders to develop a comprehensive strategic plan to ensure future semiconductor innovation; expand workforce development training; and attract new investments to the state for semiconductors. Additionally, the Texas CHIPS Act would establish the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund to provide funding for higher education institutions seeking semiconductor manufacturing and design projects and issue grants to businesses to encourage economic development related to semiconductor manufacturing and design.
In 2021, Governor Abbott formed the National Semiconductor Centers Texas Task Force—prior to the passage of the federal CHIPS and Science Act—to bring together state government, industry leaders, higher education institutions, and workforce stakeholders to create a strategic plan to keep Texas a national leader in the semiconductor industry.
In his 2024-2025 proposed state budget, Governor Abbott directs the Texas Legislature to consider a cross-government approach that would ensure Texas remains competitive for the $53 billion in U.S. CHIPS and Science Act funding opportunities and make available state funding to boost federal funds provided through the program.
Read Chairman Bonnen’s companion legislation.
Read Chairwoman Huffman’s companion legislation
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