cannabisnews.com: Citizens Patrol Leaves Site of Bust





Citizens Patrol Leaves Site of Bust
Posted by CN Staff on October 19, 2002 at 12:49:45 PT
By Tim Steller
Source: Arizona Daily Star 
The armed citizens group that seized 279 pounds of marijuana from smugglers this week has left the property where the seizures occurred, its spokesman said. Jack Foote said he and the other members of Ranch Rescue were asked to leave by the same property manager who originally gave them written permission to come.
The manager's request came after the Nature Conservancy, the owner of the San Antonio Ranch, learned of Ranch Rescue's presence through news accounts. The ranch is just north of Lochiel, about 65 miles south-southeast of Tucson. Foote said by telephone that members of the group are still conducting surveillance operations in Santa Cruz County, but he would not identify their specific location. Members of the all-volunteer group wear camouflage garb and carry high-powered rifles while conducting surveillance on border-area properties. The current operation is Ranch Rescue's first attempt to go beyond simple ranch cleanups and fence-mending, Foote said. Their presence has heightened tension on the border, said Jose Matus, director of the Tucson human-rights group Coalición de Derechos Humanos/Alianza Indígena sin Fronteras. With armed civilians patrolling, Matus said, "It becomes very dangerous for innocent people on the border. We feel it should be stopped right now." Matus called on the federal government to investigate the group, something that appears to have begun. Foote said law-enforcement officers have been a steady presence around the Ranch Rescue members since their current operation began last Saturday. They have been followed and observed by officers of the Border Patrol, the U.S. Customs Service, the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Department, he said. "There's a significant presence out there, and it seems to be focused on our group, not on the criminal activity we're trying to observe," Foote said. He said the group works on a property only after getting written permission, and that was the case at the San Antonio Ranch. "We made it very clear to the manager when I talked to him face to face . . . that we were an all-volunteer group," Foote said. "He said, 'I am the manager of the ranch, and you have my permission to go on my ranch.' " The Nature Conservancy has put the ranch up for sale on the condition the buyer will agree to practice conservation there. The Santa Cruz County Metro Task Force, a drug-enforcement group based in Nogales, is continuing to investigate the seizure, said Lt. Raul Rodriguez of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Department. Among the investigators' questions is why it took so long for the Ranch Rescue members to report the marijuana loads. At 6 p.m. Tuesday and 3 a.m. Wednesday, members of the group surprised smugglers who were backpacking the drugs on a cross-ranch path, Foote said. The smugglers dropped the bundles and ran. It wasn't until between 1 and 2 p.m. Wednesday that a member of the group flagged down a passing Santa Cruz County sheriff's deputy, who picked up the bundles before waiting television cameras. Foote said the delay was caused by a miscommunication, due to the difficulty of radio and cell-phone communications in the remote area. A group member was sent to report the seizure to the U.S. Border Patrol earlier Wednesday but failed, Foote said. "We at the ranch house thought the call had gone through when in fact it had not," Foote said. Santa Cruz County Attorney Martha Chase said there is no requirement that citizens report crimes, and that a delay in reporting drug trafficking does not necessarily raise suspicions. "In the cases where you see criminal activity, our recommendation is that you immediately call law enforcement and remove yourself to a position of safety," she said. Foote said the group is planning on establishing a semi-permanent presence in the area, but the current operation is expected to last less than a month. Source: Arizona Daily Star (AZ)Author: Tim StellerPublished: Saturday, October 19, 2002Copyright: 2002 Pulitzer Publishing Co.Contact: letters azstarnet.comWebsite: http://www.azstarnet.com/star/today/Related Articles:Armed Citizens Capture Pot Load http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14490.shtmlAuthorities Find Arizona Drug Tunnelhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11548.shtmlDrug Seizures Are Up At Border Crossings http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11262.shtml
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on October 23, 2002 at 10:35:03 PT
Thanks canaman 
I've looked and looked at this article but wasn't sure about posting it. I appreciate your posting it here. 
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Comment #8 posted by canaman on October 23, 2002 at 10:28:20 PT
Update on this vigilante group
Ariz. Groups Call for Border Probe TUCSON, Ariz. (AP)--Human rights advocates are calling for a federal investigation into the fatal shooting of two immigrants and a vigilante group's seizure of drugs near the U.S.-Mexican border. The advocates, including members of a group called Coalicion de Derechos Humanos, said the two separate incidents resulted from misguided federal immigration policies. ``The murder of two migrants is not an isolated incident,'' said the Rev. John Fife, a Tucson pastor. ``It is the culmination of a history of dehumanization and racism and militarism on this border that has gone on for a long time. Too long.'' Two men were killed Oct. 16 when two suspected immigrant smugglers drove up and opened fire on a group of illegal border crossers near Red Rock, about 35 miles northwest of Tucson. Investigators believe the survivors--except one who escaped _ were forced to get into the smugglers' vehicle and leave with them. Also, on Oct. 15 and Oct. 16, members of an armed citizens patrol called Ranch Rescue seized about 280 pounds of marijuana from smugglers crossing a private ranch. A U.S. Border Patrol spokesman declined to comment, and calls to the Mexican Consulate and the Pinal County Sheriff's Department, which investigated the homicides, were not returned. Isabel Garcia, co-chairwoman of Derechos Humanos, said she doubted the vigilante groups have jurisdiction to do what they're doing. She said law enforcement agencies are better suited to safeguarding the public. Former Pima County Supervisor Raul Grijalva, now running for Congress, also took part in the protest, asking federal authorities to investigate. ``This is very scary,'' said Jose Matus, director of Derechos Humanos. ``We're fearful of people thinking they can pick up guns and shoot at anyone who looks Mexican.'' http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/ap_story.html/National/AP.V1258.AP-Border-Investig.html
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Comment #7 posted by freedom fighter on October 21, 2002 at 20:22:40 PT
Thar goes the keystoned cops!
Come to think of this..Must be more than just several pounds... hmmm!! I mean why not....179 pounds for show!!!Here comes the Keystoned cops! Here comes the Keystoned cops!Rumbling by 10,000 more pounds of green leafy substance!!ff
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Comment #6 posted by krutch on October 21, 2002 at 15:28:29 PT:
How much was really seized?
We have to wonder. Did a few pounds disapppear? Kudos to the Nature Conservancy. Who would you rather have on your property: A few Mexicians trying to make a living by smuggling a coupla pounds leaves, or a bunch of vigilantes armed with high powered rifles?
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Comment #5 posted by mayan on October 19, 2002 at 18:51:21 PT
What Took Ya' So Long?
"The Santa Cruz County Metro Task Force, a drug-enforcement group based in Nogales, is continuing to investigate the seizure, said Lt. Raul Rodriguez of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Department. Among the investigators' questions is why it took so long for the Ranch Rescue members to report the marijuana loads."Hmmm...I can picture the Ranch Rescue members tokin' on a big fatty & saying, "Yup, this is the real thing! Twist another one & then we'll think about calling the proper authorities."unrelated - The People's Investigation of 9/11: http://www.911pi.com/Paul Thompson's Complete 9/11 Timeline: http://cooperativeresearch.org/completetimeline/STOP THE WAR AGAINST IRAQ BEFORE IT STARTS! SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26 - NATIONAL MARCH ON WASHINGTON DC: http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/o26/o26endorse.html
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Comment #4 posted by afterburner on October 19, 2002 at 18:40:22 PT:
Vigilante Justice?
Rifle-toting yahoos impersonating the police, what's next white sheets and lynchings? And the authorities are not concerned?Their presence has heightened tension on the border, said Jose Matus, director of the Tucson human-rights group Coalición de Derechos Humanos/Alianza Indígena sin Fronteras. With armed civilians patrolling, Matus said, "It becomes very dangerous for innocent people on the border. We feel it should be stopped right now." 
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Comment #3 posted by Sam Adams on October 19, 2002 at 17:21:33 PT
Sounds pretty clear-cut to me
Arrest Ranch Rescue for possession of 179 pounds of marijuana, conspiracy for trafficking, etc. And one fancy alibi that doesn't mean sh*t. Backpacking Mexicans my ass.
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Comment #2 posted by goneposthole on October 19, 2002 at 17:07:24 PT
Man O'live
If I were Ranch Rescue (kind of a cartoonish name) I would be worried that an ambush would be in the works. It would scare me out of my wits.Stop it, stop this silly ol' war on drugs.There has got to be something else better to do.
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Comment #1 posted by DdC on October 19, 2002 at 15:58:30 PT
Whatch wez gots chere, is failure to cummunikate!
Santa Cruz County Attorney Martha Chase said there is no requirement that citizens report crimes, and that a delay in reporting drug trafficking does not necessarily raise suspicions.Reporting crimes is not holding several pounds of cannabis. Typical one sided Just Us... 
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