Texas Border Business
Texas Military Department
BROWNSVILLE, Texas –Texas National Guard members assigned to Task Force South seized more than 800 lbs. of narcotics in the last two weeks being smuggled across the Texas-Mexico border by traffickers.
On Sunday, Nov. 19, Zeus Flight assigned, the Operation Lone star unit in the Brownsville area, notified the Texas National Guard drone team that they witnessed possible scouts in their area of responsibility. The drone team later confirmed heat signatures for bodies in the area and notified law enforcement partners. In conjunction with law enforcement partners, Airmen stepped in to interdict two smugglers carrying two bundles of marijuana.
A week later, again with the help of the drone team, Airmen from Zeus Flight spotted eight individuals with bundles of narcotics and contacted the Department of Public Safety. Once on the scene, the Airmen assisted law enforcement agencies to stop the traffickers.
The seized eight bundles of marijuana, weighing approximately 483.5 lbs. were valued at $386,800.
On Nov. 28, Zeus Flight was again informed that five suspected smugglers were spotted carrying bundles into the U.S. In partnership with law enforcement, all five smugglers were detained and taken into custody. Approximately 261.8 lbs. of marijuana were seized, with a street value of $209,400.
“The work our service members are performing along the Texas border is imperative to national security,” said Lt. Col. Wayne Sanaghan, 432nd Air Expeditionary Group Commander. “Over the last ten days, we’ve successfully prevented approximately 845 lbs. of narcotics from being trafficked into our country. We are proud of our Texas National Guard members on this mission and are grateful for our partnership with the Texas Department of Public Safety.”
