By Lynn Brezosky, The Associated Press
HARLINGEN, Texas (AP) - A weekend shootout on the banks of the Rio Grande is an example of the increasing violence related to drug and people smuggling along the Mexican border, U.S. Border Patrol officials said Tuesday.”
Two Border Patrol agents escaped unharmed Saturday after machine-gun fire erupted from across the river in rural Starr County, between McAllen and Laredo. The agents had just found more than a half-ton of marijuana near the river bank.”
“We’ve had a few incidences here recently where we’ve had some acts of aggression toward our agents, mainly along the river and rural areas,” Border Patrol spokesman Eddie Flores said. “We’re noticing an increase in violence along the border.""
While Flores said he could not be specific, he said agents has reported other confrontations with smugglers in Starr County and within the McAllen sector stretching from Brownsville to Falcon Dam. He said more were anticipated since it’s marijuana harvest season.”
Saturday’s incident occurred in Escobares, a small town east of Roma, at about 10:30 p.m. Agents patrolling the border said they heard crackling brush, then noticed a group of people running toward the Rio Grande and swimming across to Mexico.”
The agents found about 12 burlap sacks containing 95 packages of marijuana, totaling more than a 1,000 pounds. The Border Patrol estimated the street value for the drugs at $900,000.”
The drugs were taken to a Border Patrol station in Rio Grande City. The agents said they returned about an hour later to where they found the drugs, heard voices and then what sounded like gunfire coming from Mexico and from people on rafts in the river, Flores said.”
He said the agents returned fire, but not knowing the number of assailants, decided to retreat. They fled amid gunfire, but were not harmed, Flores said.”
Bruce Bagley, professor of International Studies at the University of Miami, said increased U.S. border surveillance coupled with a worsening Mexican economy have increased the stakes for smugglers.”
“There’s big bucks involved now,” he said. “As organized crime is becoming increasingly responsible (for smuggling), these guys have also resorted to criminal organized crime tactics. We have seen more and more of this violence, particularly in the last 18 months.""
Gloria Chavez, a Border Patrol spokeswoman in Washington, said agents know that a smuggler or narcotics trafficker will get bold, if necessary, to get their human cargo or narcotics into the United States.”
“In the Arizona corridor, you see alien smugglers attempting to bring human cargo in vehicles at high rates of speed ... many times the ones who perish are pedestrians, other motorists,” she said.”
The same day the Texas agents were fired upon, five people were killed and 15 were critically injured in Arizona when a stolen truck carrying illegal immigrants plowed into nine vehicles waiting to turn onto a highway bypass. The truck driver lost control after he swerved to avoid a tire deflation strip that Sierra Vista police officers deployed at an intersection, police said.”