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| AZ Law Enforcement Conducting Major Air And Land Anti-Smuggling Operation |
| 2011-03-30 |
| Arizona law enforcement organizations are beginning "Operation Desert Sky", using thirty fixed wing aircraft for one month to spot drug and illegal alien smugglers through the central smuggling corridor of Arizona, along with armed posse and SWAT ground forces, in response to a huge increase in drug and illegal alien smuggling. A task force of 10 Maricopa County police agencies, the Arizona Department of Public Safety, and Sheriff's office, are combining their efforts, originally to eradicate methamphetamine production in Arizona, a major national hub for that drug. But their mission has expanded, based in the seizure of 18 tons of marijuana and other drugs, and hundreds of illegal aliens in recent weeks. The drug-trafficking gangs have installed their own radio transponders in southern Arizona mountain ranges and use solar-powered radios to stay connected in the desert for days. The organizations are also using military grade weapons and equipment. Gunfights between smuggling gangs, law enforcement and civilians are becoming increasingly common. Law enforcers are using military equipment and tactics in an effort to gain an advantage over the violent criminals. Former National Day Laborer Organizing Network and local agitator Salvador Reza said Arpaio's newest operation is a "dangerous escalation of the prejudice and violence for which the state has become known. It will spend taxpayer dollars to put 30 pilots into the air and put everyone at risk by arming vigilantes with M16s and machine guns", he said with his usual histrionics. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose |
| #4 Doing the jobs the Federals won't. [Who are too busy running guns the other direction] |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2011-03-30 19:31 |
| #3 It's a desert. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2011-03-30 19:12 |
| #2 So with all this hubbub in Maricopa county, it is likely that a lot of the smugglers are going to move East, right into the path of Babeu's men. Is that what the military types call "hammer and anvil", Anonymoose? And what happens to the remains of those Sheriff Babeu's men encounter? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2011-03-30 19:06 |
| #1 An interesting bit about this is what is not being said. This is all happening in Maricopa county. But just east of there is Pinal county, also a major corridor, under the auspices of Sheriff Babeu. Unlike the more flamboyant Joe Arpaio, Babeu is a more taciturn "hard man". He has lost patience with drug smugglers on his turf, and has quietly deployed ambush teams of snipers along their routes. While they *may* offer the heavily armed smugglers the opportunity to surrender, one of his deputies has already been shot by them. So with all this hubbub in Maricopa county, it is likely that a lot of the smugglers are going to move East, right into the path of Babeu's men. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2011-03-30 18:00 |