CBP Officers Seize Cocaine Found Hidden in Commercial Bus, Marijuana in Spare Tire – Drugs Valued at $5.1 Million

December 22, 2009: U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Hidalgo/Pharr, Texas port of entry seized approximately 158 pounds of cocaine and 41 pounds of marijuana in two separate, unrelated enforcement actions this weekend. The combined estimated street value of drugs seized is close to $5.1 million.

On December 18, CBP officers working at the Hidalgo/Reynosa International Bridge came in contact with a northbound 1995 Dina passenger bus. The driver of the bus was identified as a 37-year-old male U.S. citizen from Houston, Texas. After the initial primary inspection, the driver and bus were referred to secondary for further inspection.

While in secondary, “Laika”, a narcotic detector dog, alerted officers to the odor of narcotics emanating from the bus. A non-intrusive image scan revealed anomalies within the bus’s floor. While conducting an intensive examination of the undercarriage, CBP officers found 62 cocaine packages hidden within the bus’s floor. The driver, who was not immediately arrested, was issued at $10,000 civil penalty. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents continue to investigate this failed smuggling attempt. CBP officers seized the 1995 Dina bus. Packages of cocaine are found in a commercial bus.

On December 20, CBP officers working at the Pharr/Reynosa International Bridge came in contact with a northbound 1996 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck. The driver was identified as Adrian Gomez, a U.S. citizen, age 20 from Pharr, Texas. A CBP officer referred the driver and pickup truck to secondary for further inspection. In secondary, officers noted discrepancies to the vehicle’s spare tire and had the tire dismantled. CBP officers discovered within the spare tire a metal container full of bulk compressed marijuana.

The marijuana weighed approximately 41 pounds and the estimated street value was close to $32,000. After his arrest, Gomez was transferred to the custody of ICE special agents who continue to investigate this failed smuggling attempt. Pending appearance before a U.S. Magistrate, Gomez remains incarcerated. CBP officers seized the Tacoma pickup truck.

Hector A. Mancha, CBP port director Hidalgo said, “I commend our frontline officers and K-9 units for their vigilance and for intercepting these two drug loads.” Mancha further said, “K-9 Laika continues to do great work in alerting to the presence of narcotic odors.”

CBP in Charleston Intercepts Counterfeit Shirts

December 18, 2009: Charleston, S.C. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Port of Charleston seized 701 cartons of counterfeit “Gap” and “Faded Glory” polo shirts, along with other commingled merchandise on December 3, officials announced today. The shipment had a total domestic value of $28,129 and a manufacturers suggested retail price of $415,306.

CBP officers discovered the shipment of counterfeit merchandise in a container that was selected for examination. A total of 10,842 boy’s polo shirts bearing the Gap logo and 8,014 men’s polo shirts bearing the Faded Glory logo were seized.

“CBP has a lead role in protecting both the American consumer and domestic businesses,” said Robert A. Fencel, area port director in Charleston. “This seizure is an excellent example of the steps CBP has taken in the area of enforcing IPR laws. We will continue to educate our officers and work with our stakeholders in the trade community to continue these efforts to combat the importation of illegitimate trade items."

P has designated intellectual property rights enforcement as a Priority Trade Issue. Our strategic approach to IPR enforcement is multi-layered and includes seizing fake goods at our borders, pushing the border outward through audits of infringing importers and cooperation with our international trading partners, and partnering with industry and other government agencies to enhance these efforts. CBP devotes considerable resources and diverse personnel to the enforcement of IPR.

For more information on intellectual property rights dealing with trademarks, please go to the CBP Web site.

Unconventional Delivery of Deadly Force in a Correctional Facility

On January 21, 2010, Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a discussion with corrections official Tracy E. Barnhart on the Unconventional Delivery of Deadly Force in a Correctional Facility

Program Date: January 21, 2010
Program Time: 1710 hours, Pacific
Topic: Unconventional Delivery of Deadly Force in a Correctional Facility
Listen Live: www.americanheroesradio.com/unconventional_delivery_deadly_force.html

About the Guest
After completion of a Marine Corps combat tour of duty in Iraq in 1991, Tracy E. Barnhart completed the National Registry requirements as an Emergency Medical Technician. He responded to calls of emergency medical nature for over three years until he became a police officer for the City of Galion (Ohio). After three years on patrol he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. Later leaving the City of Galion Tracy E. Barnhart was hired as the Chief of Police for the City of Edison (Ohio). After 3 years as chief of police, and with a total of ten years experience in law enforcement he changed careers leaping into the realm of corrections where he is currently employed at the Marion Juvenile Correctional Facility.

Tracy E. Barnhart is the Law Enforcement coordinator the Tri-Rivers Public Safety Adult Education where he designs and coordinates continuing educational courses for law enforcement and correctional officers. He has established courses on verbal de-escalation, criminal behavior analysis, use of force, and ground fighting and take down techniques for law enforcement.

About the Subject
Tracy E. Barnhart & co-author Gary T. Klugiewicz wrote an article on Unconventional Delivery of Deadly Force in a Correctional Facility which appeared in the December 2009 issue of the American Heroes Press Newsletter. The article began, “We wanted to write an article on a topic that you might have thought that you never would read about in print. This article is going to discuss how and when to use deadly force in a correctional facility and most importantly how to defend your actions. Since most corrections officers are not trained or equipped with weapons designed to deliver deadly force the techniques we are going to discuss will need to be unconventional. The following information is the kind of stuff we talk about before roll call when we hear about an assault on an officer from the previous shift. This type of violent assault against a corrections officer could happen anywhere. It could even happen in your facility. These life threatening assaults could happen to a friend or someone who you went to the academy with or it could happen to you. Hopefully it’s doesn’t end up like the incident referenced below with an officer being killed.”

The entire article can be found at:
http://www.police-writers.com/articles/unconvential_delivery_deadly_force.html

About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
www.americanheroesradio.com/unconventional_delivery_deadly_force.html
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

Memorial Services to be Held for Recently Slain CBP Officer Funds Established for Surviving Children

December 16, 2009: Memorial Services for recently slain U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Maribel Arteaga will take place on Saturday, December 19, at 10 a.m. at the Holy Trinity Church located at 405 Ballard Street, El Cajon, Calif., 92019. A public viewing will take place on Friday, December 18, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Humphrey’s Mortuary located at 753 Broadway, Chula Vista, Calif., 91910. A rosary will also take place at this location at 7 p.m.

All services are closed to members of the media.

Savings accounts have been established to provide support for CBP Officer Arteaga’s two surviving children, ages 4 and 6, at Cabrillo Credit Union; individuals may reference account number 192541. For more information, interested parties may wish to contact Tyree Davis, Branch Manager, at 858-547-7400 ext. 540 or visit their Web site.

CBP Officers Seize Marijuana Concealed on Body of Teenager

December 17, 2009: U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers stopped a drug smuggling attempt when they apprehended a 15-year-old boy trying to smuggle marijuana taped to his body.

On December 16 at about 7:30a.m., CBP officers were screening travelers when they observed a 15-year-old boy wearing a bulky coat. The boy was identified as a U.S. citizen and a student at the Douglas High School.

The CBP officers searched the boy and found that he had a package of marijuana taped to his lower back and another package taped to his thigh. The marijuana weighed about 1.5 pounds and had an estimated street value of more than $2,000.

CBP officers seized the marijuana. CBP officers held the boy for questioning. The boy was released to the custody of his father.

Latest scams camouflaged as military calls for assistance

December 17, 2009: The latest attempts to part innocent persons from their money or sensitive information, just in time for the holidays, could be called "Operation Desert Scam." One recent scheme strikes close to home, as a scam artist used the name and other personal information of a deployed Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldier, obtained from a news article, to attempt to sell a vehicle on-line to a potential buyer in Oklahoma. The potential buyer became suspicious and reported the incident to the Wisconsin National Guard.

Maj. Joseph Adamson, provost marshal for the Wisconsin National Guard, said that to date, the Soldier in question has not suffered financial loss as a result of the scam attempt.

According to Adamson, the scammer obtained only limited personal identification information from the news article.


"There are no steadfast ways to protect against [identity theft resulting from scammers reading] properly vetted and released news articles," he warned, adding that the best protection was vigilance - monitoring personal finances, investigating unexpected charges, contacting all three credit report agencies if necessary, and filing a police report immediately if identity theft is suspected.

"It takes time to recover from a bona fide identity theft where there is a loss to the victim," Adamson explained. "And in some cases it can cost the victim money to recover from the negative impact of being an identity theft victim."

Adamson said there are no confirmed cases of Wisconsin National Guard members suffering actual losses from identity theft. Guard families, however, have been victimized, he said. In some cases, the scam artist will call someone from the Guard member's extended family - a grandparent, for example - seeking money on behalf of the Guard member for some type of emergency.

"[Scammers] manipulate a sense of urgency," Adamson said. He urged anyone receiving this type of surprise contact to verify the information - phone numbers for the hospital or police station, the police report file number, exact time and location of the alleged incident - and also recommended contacting someone who can verify that the relative may be in the location the caller claims.

"Very seldom will a relative get a [legitimate] call from a stranger about an injured family member," he said.

Another scheme has been around for some time and bears striking similarities to the "Nigerian prince" scams of the 1990s. This particular scam claims that a handful of U.S. Marines have discovered millions in cash in the mansion of a militant leader in Iraq and need your help to bring the money back to the states.

"This is a very serious deal and I wouldn't be asking for your help if I am not convinced that this is not going to bring any harm to you or your family, or put you in a risky position," states the author of the scam, allegedly a Marine named Williams Barnes. The reader is asked to provide their full name, mailing address and private telephone number, and advised to wait for further instructions.

Adamson said the lure of easy money, along with the belief that responding could aid a service member, blinds some people to warning signs of a scam known as a "confidence swindle."

"They fall into a downward spiral," he explained. "It's 'what am I going to lose by doing this?' That's the first part of the process. Next, [the scammers] will ask for your birthday, or your account number. It's a way of getting the victims invested."

"I hope I can rely on your sense of discretion," the alleged Marine writes. "If for some reasons you don't want to or can't help us, I want you to delete this message immediately and assume we never had this conversation."

The state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection's Bureau of Consumer Protection encourages anyone who receives such offers to ask themselves two questions: Why would a perfect stranger pick you to share a fortune with, and why would you share personal or business information with a perfect stranger?

"If it sounds too good to be true," Adamson said, "then it is too good to be true."

The provost marshal's office serves the members of the Wisconsin National Guard and their families, and is a conduit between victims and law enforcement. The provost marshal's office does not complete identity theft reports, but does work with Guard members and their families to get that information to the correct law enforcement agency.

CBP Officers in Buffalo Stop Bird Smuggling Attempt

December 16, 2009: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Field Operations announced the seizure of five birds which were being smuggled into the United States by a United States citizen.

On December 15, CBP officers encountered a 41-year-old United States citizen and resident of Oceanside, N.Y., as he applied for admission into the United States at the Peace Bridge border crossing in Buffalo, N.Y. The subject advised CBP officers that he was returning from a one day trip visiting friends in Toronto and had nothing to declare. During initial questioning, the subject aroused the suspicion of CBP officers, and was subsequently referred for an enforcement exam.

During the course of the secondary inspection, the subject recanted his initial declaration and advised CBP officers that he was in possession of five birds concealed in his vehicle. CBP officers conducted an inspection of the vehicle and discovered five live canaries contained in a wooden box behind the passenger seat.

Agents from Immigration and Custom Enforcement and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service assisted CBP officers and agriculture specialists in the initial investigation of the smuggling case. The interview revealed that the subject is a collector of birds, allegedly having more than 200 as pets at his home in Oceanside. He admitted that his sole purpose for traveling to Canada was to acquire the birds and that he knew it was illegal to import birds without proper documentation and the required USDA veterinary exam, but did so because they were cheaper in Canada.

The undeclared birds were seized by CBP and transferred to the custody of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Division of Veterinary Services.

“A monetary penalty of $300.00 was assessed and the case was referred to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and USDA Investigative and Enforcement Services for further action and possible criminal prosecution," said Kevin Corsaro, CBP public affairs liaison for the Buffalo Field Office. "The smuggling of such birds increases the chances that a communicable bird disease, such as Exotic Newcastle or Avian Influenza, could enter the United States. CBP officers and agricultures specialists continue to execute their responsibilities which include protecting the United States food crops and livestock from agricultural pests and diseases."

CBP Officers Seize Crystal Meth Valued at $270,000, Arrest Laredo Man

December 16, 2009:Laredo, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Laredo port of entry seized nearly 18 pounds of crystal methamphetamines Monday in an enforcement action that resulted in the arrest of a Laredo man.

CBP officers arrested a 27-year-old male U.S. citizen from Laredo, Texas and turned him over to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents after CBP officers discovered nearly 18 pounds of crystal methamphetamine hidden inside a spare tire.

The seizure occurred Monday, December 14 at the Lincoln-Juarez International Bridge. A CBP officer referred a 1998 Dodge Caravan for a secondary examination. During the examination, a CBP officer noted discrepancies in the spare tire area. A CBP narcotics detection dog, “Hank,” alerted to the odor of narcotics emanating from the same area. CBP officers conducted an X-ray examination of the spare tire that resulted in the discovery of five bundles containing nearly 18 pounds of crystal meth with an estimated street value of $270,000.

CBP officers seized the crystal meth and the vehicle. ICE agents investigated the seizure and processed the driver on federal drug charges.

“Even though this is the season when we experience an upsurge in traffic, our CBP officers remain vigilant and capable of intercepting significant narcotics loads such as this one,” said Gene Garza, port director, Laredo, Texas.

Juvenile Arrests 2008

Summarizes 2008 juvenile crime and arrest data reported by local law enforcement agencies across the country and cited in the FBI report Crime in the United States 2008. Overall, there were 3 percent fewer juvenile arrests in 2008 than in 2007 and juvenile violent crime arrests fell 2 percent, continuing a recent decline. One area that merits continued attention is the persistently disproportionate rate of minority contact with the juvenile justice system. The arrest rate for robbery in 2008, for example, was 10 times higher for black youth than for white youth.

More Information
http://www.ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/publications/PubAbstract.asp?pubi=250498

Associate Chair of Criminal Justice

I am interested in serving as an online instructor for any type of criminal justice program. The contact address is: Barry.Goodson@columbiasouthern.edu

Thanks

7 Marijuana Seizures, Confiscate Thousands of Dollars

December 14, 2009: U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at ports of entry along the California border with Mexico over the weekend made 17 marijuana seizures valued at $558,000, confiscated $46,434 on its way southbound into Mexico, and stopped 243 illegal aliens from entering the country.

The enforcement actions occurred from 6 a.m. on Friday through 6 a.m. on Monday.

The largest marijuana seizure occurred on Friday, December 11 at the Otay Mesa cargo facility when a 39-year-old Tijuana man driving a supposedly empty 1995 Freightliner Tractor entered the port for inspection. A CBP officer and his detector dog were screening conveyances and when the dog alerted to the tractor. The driver and tractor were sent for a more an in-depth examination.

Officers subsequently discovered compartments within both fuel tanks and extracted 10 wrapped packages of marijuana weighing 232 pounds. The driver was arrested and transported to San Diego County jail. CBP seized the vehicle and narcotics.

At the Andrade port of entry on Saturday, December 12, at about 9 a.m. a CBP officer encountered a 39-year-old male U.S. citizen driving a 1991 Toyota pick-up truck. During the course of the inspection, the officer noticed discrepancies with the driver’s answers and referred him and the truck for further investigation.

An intensive inspection of the truck, which included a canine screening, led officers to the discovery of 73 wrapped packages of the narcotic concealed inside the bed of the pick-up truck.

The driver, a resident of Yuma, Ariz., was arrested for the alleged narcotic smuggling attempt and turned over to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for further processing. CBP seized both the vehicle and narcotics.

In five of this weekend’s 17 marijuana seizures, officers discovered marijuana strapped to the bodies of individuals entering the country as pedestrians.

Officers with the San Ysidro port of entry conducting outbound inspections on the I-5 freeway made two currency seizures equaling $46,434.

The largest currency seizure occurred on Sunday afternoon at about 1:30 p.m. when the ports Anti-Terrorism Contraband Enforcement Team was conducting southbound inspections and stopped a 30-year-old U.S. citizen from Compton, Calif., driving a 2003 Suzuki motorcycle.

The man claimed he did not have any currency on him, but a subsequent search of his person and the motorcycle revealed $9,642 in his inside jacket pocket and left front pant pocket. An additional $20,000 was found on the Suzuki underneath the seat on top of the battery compartment.

He was arrested and transported to the Metropolitan Correctional Center by ICE agents. CBP seized the money and motorcycle.

On Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m., A-TCET officers also seized $16,792 in U.S. dollars and Mexican pesos from a 32-year-old Tijuana man driving a 2007 Gold Chevy Malibu on his way into Mexico on the I-5 freeway.

Officers at ports of entry in San Diego and the Imperial Valley also intercepted 243 violators of immigration law that included cases of illegal aliens hidden in vehicles, aliens who presented fraudulent documents and those who presented valid documents not legally issued to them.

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.

CBP Officers Seize $300,000 in Undeclared Currency at Arizona Border

December 15, 2009: Nogales, Arizona - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Mariposa, Ariz. port of entry yesterday discovered $300,032 in undeclared currency hidden inside a suitcase and arrested two men from Sonora, Mexico.

On Monday afternoon, CBP officers were conducting routine inspections of vehicles leaving the United States when they selected a 1994 Chevy pick-up truck for inspection. The truck was occupied by two Mexican men, ages 19 and 46.

While conducting their inspection, CBP officers opened a suitcase that was inside the truck and discovered 30 packages wrapped in black electrical tape. After a CBP Currency/Weapons Detector Dog alerted to the suitcase, officers removed the packages and seized $300,032 as undeclared currency.

Both occupants of the truck were arrested and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for further investigation.

Crime Mapping

On January 28, 2010, Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a discussion with Michael R. King on Crime Mapping.

Program Date: January 28, 2010
Program Time: 1700 Hours Pacific
Topic: Crime Mapping
Listen Live: www.americanheroesradio.com/crime_mapping.html

About the Guest
Michael R. King is a National Law Enforcement Account Manager for ESRI, the Environmental Systems Research Institute, a worldwide leader of GIS software. He was a Product Planning Manager for Motorola, Inc. from 2004-2006. In 2004, Michael R. King retired from full-time Law Enforcement and has over 28 years of service. He began his law enforcement career in 1979. After 8 years of experience with the Ogden Utah Police Department, Michael R. King became the Chief of Staff for Weber County Attorney, Reed M. Richards. He served in that capacity and as lead investigator for 8 years.

In 1993, Michael R. King became an investigator with the Utah Attorney General’s Office where he investigated sexual offenses, cult activity and white-collar crimes. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and eventually promoted to Chief of Staff under Attorney General Jan Graham. During this time, King was trained as a criminal profiler through the FBI. He served as the co-chair of the FBI’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program National Board. Michael R. King has consulted on hundreds of complex criminal cases around the world.

Michael R. King has a Master of Criminal Justice Degree and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice. He is an adjunct faculty member for the school of Criminal Justice at Salt Lake Community College and Weber State University. He is a member of the Harvard Medical School Program in Psychiatry and the Law (2003-present) and is a Visiting Scholar for the School of Nursing at Boston College (2005-present).

Mike has authored, in part or whole, a number of books, including: Analyzing Criminal Behavior; Cold Case Methodology; and, Predators: Who They are and How to Stop Them.

About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is Police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. American Heroes Radio brings you to the watering hole, where it is Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

Crime Lab Casts Net Ahead of Cyber Criminals

By Judith Snyderman
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 15, 2009 - Public fascination with television's "CSI" forensic detectives and with the virtual reality depicted in the "Matrix" films may be partly responsible for the high level of interest garnered by a Defense Department contest to solve cyber crimes. The Digital Forensics Challenge was created by Jim Christy, director of future exploration at the Defense Department Cyber Crime Center, better known as DC3.

"We had 1,153 teams play from 61 different countries [in this year's contest], so it was kind of amazing," Christy said in a Dec. 9 "Armed with Science: Research and Applications for the Modern Military" podcast interview.

Though contestants work on invented puzzles, researchers harvest real crime-solving tools from their efforts. Those tools can help them stay ahead of criminal activity ranging from hacking to espionage to child pornography.

Christy is a veteran in the field of solving digital crimes. In 1986, at the dawn of the digital age, he cracked his first major case.

"We had five hackers from West Germany that were working for the Soviet KGB and hacking [Defense Department] systems," he said. Christy soon realized the emergence of a new risk associated with storing information on computers instead of on discrete pieces of paper tucked away in file cabinets. "Unclassified information in aggregation can have an impact on national security," he said.

Today, he said, virtually every aspect of every crime has a digital component.

"Everybody has a PDA, everybody has a smartphone, everybody has a GPS device, and I don't know too many people who don't have a computer in their office and a computer in their house," Christy said.

Four years ago, the DC3 was receiving broken CDs from Afghanistan and Iraq. Since they didn't have the tools to recover data from the disk fragments and were short on resources, Christy started the digital challenge to cast a wide net for solutions.

"When people registered, we'd send them a broken CD knowing what was on it, and 11 teens actually came back that first year with a solution," Christy said.

This year's challenge was more difficult because entrants were not told exactly what they were looking for, said Curt Barnard, a cyber operations graduate student at the Air Force Institute of Technology. Bernard is part of a civilian cyber corps fellowship program connected to the National Science Foundation, and he's a member of the team that recently won the 2009 Digital Forensics Challenge.

"They gave us a hard-drive image and told us to look for evidence regarding a crime," Barnard said. He said it took a standard forensics tool kit plus free programs and some original computer programming scripts written by team members to complete the analysis and decipher hidden information.

DC3 ran this year's contest in partnership with the SANS Institute, a high-tech security firm, and a cyber crime group called IMPACT. Bernard and his teammates won a trip to DC3's upcoming cyber crime conference that starts Jan. 22 in St. Louis.

But the real reward may come after DC3 completes testing the investigative methods developed by a number of teams in the competition.

"Part of forensics is to be accurate, repeatable, and predictable," Christy said. "So everything has to be really documented well so that another forensic examiner can pick up your report and come to the same conclusion, with the same evidence."

DC3 shares its new discoveries and tools that are proven to work with the law-enforcement and digital-forensics communities. After more than two decades solving cyber crime, Christy said, he's learned never to become complacent.

"If you don't like change, you don't want to be in this environment," he said. "You always have to strive to look at the next threat that's coming down the pike -- what is the next vulnerability that's coming down the pike, and how do we address it? Because, unfortunately, we don't solve cases like they do on television, in 15 minutes."

(Judith Snyderman works in the Defense Media Activity's emerging media directorate.)

Treasury Designates Sinaloa Cartel Members Under the Kingpin Act

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today designated two Mexican nationals and one Colombian national as Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers (SDNTs) for providing material support to the drug trafficking activities of the Sinaloa Cartel. OFAC also today designated two Mexican companies and two Colombian companies as SDNTs. Today's action, pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act), prohibits U.S. persons from conducting financial or commercial transactions with these entities and individuals and freezes any assets the designees may have under U.S. jurisdiction.

The Sinaloa Cartel, a powerful and violent Mexican drug trafficking organization identified by the President pursuant to the Kingpin Act in April 2009, is led by Joaquin Guzman Loera (a.k.a. "El Chapo"), Ismael Zambada Garcia (a.k.a. "El Mayo"), and Ignacio Coronel Villareal (a.k.a. "Nacho"), all previously identified by the President as Significant Foreign Narcotics Traffickers pursuant to the Kingpin Act.

"Today's action builds on the President's identification of the Sinaloa Cartel in April and OFAC's commitment to working with our partners in Mexico to disrupt and deter the illicit activities of this dangerous organization," said OFAC Director Adam J. Szubin. "We will continue to aggressively track and expose those who support the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, Colombia and elsewhere."

Mexican nationals Agustin Reyes Garza (a.k.a. "Don Pilo") and Hector Contreras Novoa were designated today due to their material support to the drug trafficking activities of the Sinaloa Cartel. Reyes Garza, a fugitive from Honduran drug trafficking charges, owns or controls two businesses identified in today's action, Estetic Carr de Occidente S.A. de C.V. and Estetica Car Wash S.A. de C.V., located in Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. Contreras Novoa was indicted in 2005 on cocaine conspiracy charges filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Both individuals operate from Guadalajara, Mexico.

Colombian national Nestor Alonso Tarazona Enciso was designated today due to his material support to the drug trafficking activities of the Sinaloa Cartel. Tarazona Enciso owns or controls Agropecuaria La Cruz S.A. and Criadero Las Cabanas Ltda., two livestock companies registered in Bogota, Colombia that were also designated today. Tarazona Enciso was convicted on federal cocaine trafficking charges and served a prison sentence in the United States. After completing his sentence in 1995 and returning to Colombia, Tarazona Enciso once again became involved in drug trafficking activities. He operates from San Martin, Meta, Colombia.

This action is part of ongoing efforts under the Kingpin Act to apply financial measures against significant foreign narcotics traffickers worldwide. Internationally, more than 500 businesses and individuals associated with 82 drug kingpins have been designated pursuant to the Kingpin Act since June 2000, 37 of which are based in Mexico. Penalties for violations of the Kingpin Act range from civil penalties of up to $1.075 million per violation to more severe criminal penalties. Criminal penalties for corporate officers may include up to 30 years in prison and fines up to $5 million. Criminal fines for corporations may reach $10 million. Other individuals face up to 10 years in prison and fines pursuant to Title 18 of the United States Code for criminal violations of the Kingpin Act

Border Patrol Seizes More than 15,000 Pounds of Marijuana in Single Day

December 11, 2009: The U.S. Border Patrol of the Rio Grande Valley Sector seized 15,662 pounds of marijuana in multiple unrelated seizures throughout South Texas in a 24-hour period.

These seizures took place at the checkpoints as well as stations along the Rio Grande. The seizures ranged in quantity from 775 pounds to more than 5,000 pounds. All narcotics and suspects were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.

To report suspicious activity, contact the Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol Sector’s toll-free telephone number at 800-863-9382.

Border Patrol Agent's Instinct Leads to Marijuana Seizure

December 11, 2009: Border Patrol agents arrested a U.S. citizen attempting to smuggle marijuana through the immigration checkpoint on Interstate 8 late Tuesday evening.

At about 5:30 p.m., agents assigned to the Interstate 8 checkpoint near Dateland encountered a 1998 Ford sport utility vehicle driven by a young male.

As the driver pulled up to the checkpoint’s primary inspection lane, agents noticed that the driver was acting in a manner inconsistent with normal traffic. After observing several suspicious behaviors, agents referred the driver and vehicle to secondary inspection.

Once in secondary inspection, a K-9 team performed a cursory inspection of the vehicle. The inspection produced an alert by the K-9 team indicating the possibility of hidden persons or contraband located within the vehicle. The K-9 team led agents to the spare tire located underneath the SUV. Agents inspected the spare tire and noticed that the tire was too small to support the large SUV.

A closer examination of the tire by agents revealed seven plastic-wrapped bundles of marijuana. Agents arrested the 19-year-old driver and seized 26.9 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $21,520. Border Patrol agents turned the driver and marijuana over to the Yuma County Narcotics Task Force.

The Border Patrol’s strategy to secure U.S. borders is based on a “defense in depth” philosophy. This includes the use of interior checkpoints to interdict terrorists, illegal narcotics and illegal aliens attempting to egress away from the border area into the interior portions of our country. Border Patrol immigration checkpoints are within the constraints of the Constitution and have been upheld numerous times by the U.S. Supreme Court. Immigration checkpoints are a valuable tool to secure our borders and have helped agents across the country stop dangerous smugglers of humans and narcotics.

Border Patrol Halts 500 Pounds of Marijuana at Checkpoint

December 10, 2009: Border Patrol agents from the Indio, Calif. station working the Highway 111 checkpoint seized approximately 500 pounds of marijuana with an estimated value of more than $400,000. A truck entered the Highway 111 checkpoint on Wednesday for inspection. During the inspection, a Border Patrol canine team alerted to the cargo box of the truck and the vehicle and was referred for further inspection.

A physical search of the cargo area revealed a discrepancy between the front interior and exterior walls. Indio Station agents discovered approximately 80 bundles of marijuana within a non-factory compartment. The marijuana weighs approximately 500 pounds and has an estimated value of more than $400,000. The driver, the vehicle and marijuana were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

National Youth Gang Survey Analysis

Since 1996, the National Youth Gang Center (NYGC) has conducted an annual survey of law enforcement agencies to assess the extent of gang problems by measuring the presence, characteristics, and behaviors of local gangs in jurisdictions throughout the United States. The National Youth Gang Survey (NYGS) is based on a nationally representative sample of law enforcement agencies serving larger cities, suburban counties, smaller cities, and rural counties. This Web resource contains analysis and findings from the ongoing National Youth Gang Surveys. Numerous charts and descriptions are provided as a resource for understanding gang problems.

http://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/Survey-Analysis

Attention to Duty: What Separates the Good Cops from the Status Quo

By Andrew G. Hawkes

Yesterday I was reminded one thing. That no matter how routine you think this job is on a daily basis you just can’t think that way. I’m a sergeant, with seniority, so with that seniority comes my pick of the day, evening, or graveyard shifts. After nearly 20 years on the job I’m taking the day shift, thank you very much. But with the day shift comes supervising mostly veteran cops. Veteran cops that have seen a lot, been through a lot, and quite frankly want to do very little.

Read On
http://www.police-writers.com/articles/attention_to_duty.html