Posted on 11/19/2005 11:25:56 AM PST by dennisw
A marijuana-laden dump truck got stuck in the Rio Grande on Thursday evening in Hudspeth County, leading to a standoff between U.S. law enforcement and what appeared to be the Mexican military, sheriff officials said.
"It's a very serious incident," Hudspeth County Chief Deputy Mike Doyal said.
"We are very fortunate (Thursday) night no one got hurt," Doyal said. "Everyone had the presence of mind not to cause an international incident, or start shooting."
The incident began when Border Patrol agents tried to stop the dump truck on Interstate 10, sheriff's officials said. The truck fled to Mexico in the Neely's Crossing area.
The truck got stuck in the riverbed, and the driver took off running. Agents "started to retrieve the bundles (of marijuana) when the armed subjects appeared," said Agent Ramiro Cordero, a Border Patrol spokesman. The Border Patrol called Hudspeth County sheriff's deputies and Texas state troopers for backup, both agencies confirmed.
Doyal said the truck driver returned with the armed men, including men who arrived in official-looking vehicles with overhead lights and what appeared to be Mexican soldiers in uniform and with military-style rifles.
The Mexican army is used in anti-narcotics operations. Army officials could not be reached for comment.
The standoff ended when the "soldiers" used a bulldozer to pull the dump truck into Mexico, sheriff's officials said.
Doyal said the bulldozer is kept in the area and is suspected of being used to create makeshift paths across the river.
"The 1,850 pounds confiscated (by U.S. authorities) was probably a third of what was in the truck. The rest went into the Mexican side," Doyal said.
Cordero, the Border Patrol spokesman, described the incident as an "armed encounter with drug smugglers" but would not confirm whether the Mexican military was involved. Investigations into the incident continue.
Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com; 546-6102.
Congressman Culberson (Houston, Texas) was on Hannity's radio show yesterday and H&C last night discussing similar incidents and the Mexican Army's participation. He was complaining that the border patrol had their hands tied by the Administration so he's planning to circumvent the Feds and equip the Sheriff's Dept in several counties along the TX border to clean this mess up. He described himself as having his 'hair on fire' over this situation. He had reports from two Sheriffs that an Al Queda terrorist with papers naming him as a Mexican had been arrested recently and held in their jail. Hopefully the Sheriff's Dept from these areas will get the support they need to clean up their neighborhoods. Evidently they are ready and willing. God bless them!
Oh No. Just ask the administration. These are just our "brothers" who "share our cultural values" as former SoS Colin Powell put it. Not serious at all.
Perish the thought that it might be the Mexican Army guarding a load that got across but was then intercepted, and they rescued it saving the Narcotraficantes they work for hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars.
Perish the thought.
Dog packs across the world are offended at this remark and demand an apology.
As their official spokesdog was heard to say (with teeth bared), "GRRRRRRRR!!! *ROWR*ROWR*ROWR*ROWR*"
Well you do make some valid points there. It is shameful what takes place without producing public outrage. Of course the MSM is always there to explain away any significance, with or without public figures doing the same damned thing.
Ping
"One of these types of incidents is going to blow up some day, and when it does, the U.S. populace is going to be furious that something hasn't been done to prevent this sort of thing."
I agree with you. IF the Mexican military was actively helping drug smugglers, and I think this likely(their federal police are uniformed criminals), then we need to do some serious talking with Mexican authorities. We need to let Mexico know that ANY attempts on their part to aid and abeit drug runners or illegal border crossers will be met with "lethal" action on the part of this country.
Personally, I am amazed that our officials allowed that vehicle to be dragged back into Mexico. A major army installation, Fort Bliss, is there in El Paso. Whenever someone is attempting to invade or otherwise threaten our borders, it really is not a law enforcement issue but a one that should be handled by our military. IMO
All it'll take is one or two dope-laden trucks burning spectacularly in the night with dead Mexican soldiers on our soil to show how effective it is.
...& *half* the sense.
Yep and when that happens, the Feds will send in some troops to slap down locals doing any protesting.
Or, alternately, the Mexican mafia has control of the military (or has their OWN military force), and the government just allows them to operate due to kickbacks from the Mob.
Either way, we are letting our potheads control this criminal industry. It's not about wonderful hemp shampoo. It's about supporting an international "corporation" a bit more evil than Halliburton.
That's why folks like us exist...and that's why the Left is trying to silence the Internet as a foremost medium of information sharing. They fear what people are going to do when they learn the truth.
I only hope that I am very wrong in my assessment of what it's going to take for people to wake up. Now I know how the Cassandra of Greek mythology must have felt.
Sounds like a job for ATF. I am sure those weapons from mexico crossing the border were legit. /sarc
. What we need on the border is Border Patrol and Military with the presence of mind to cause an international incident.
It's pretty sick, isn't it? How castrated we have become about Mexican- USA relations!
The one area? I'd say there are several areas in which the current administration could be faulted; faulty border control being one of those.
Can't disagree...
Plus it's always nice to roast hot dogs and marshmellows on a warm summer evening...
...& *half* the sense.
You're being incredibly generous, FRiend. I question any appreciable intelligence in any areas in which "Reality TV" (sic) gets market share and precincts tilt Democrat.
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