Joint Field Command - Week in Review

Seizures exceed $8 million in narcotics and $39,000 in currency

Tucson, AZ. — The U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Arizona Joint Field Command reports the seizure of more than 17,000 pounds of narcotics, worth an estimated $8.9 million, and the apprehension of 1,602 illegal immigrants along the Arizona border in the first seven days of August.

Narcotics seizures, mostly marijuana, included 26 pounds of cocaine and six pounds of methamphetamines. CBP also intercepted three weapons, $39,748 in illegal outbound currency, and 41 vehicles used for illicit purposes.

Since the beginning of this fiscal year, which started Oct. 1, 2010, CBP in Arizona has apprehended more than 115,600 illegal immigrants and seized 1,028,000 pounds of marijuana. This represents a 43 percent decrease in apprehensions and a 1 percent increase in marijuana seizures when compared to the same period last year. CBP credits this success to the integrated border enforcement effort in Arizona, and significant increases in personnel, technology and tactical infrastructure.

Since launching the Southwest Border Initiative in March, 2009, the Department of Homeland Security, under Secretary Janet Napolitano, has engaged in an unprecedented effort to bring focus and intensity to Southwest border security; coupled with a reinvigorated, smart and effective approach to enforcing immigration laws in the interior of our country.

The Joint Field Command integrates combined assets from the Tucson and Yuma Border Patrol Sectors, the Tucson Office of Field Operations, and the Office of Air and Marine’s Tucson and Yuma Air Branches. This enables CBP leadership in Arizona to direct an integrated approach to our mission of border security, commercial enforcement and trade facilitation.

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. Read the best Homeland Security books and join the effort to keep America safe.  CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.