cannabisnews.com: NW Border Patrol Planes Sent to Arizona NW Border Patrol Planes Sent to Arizona Posted by FoM on July 08, 2000 at 07:44:31 PT By The Associated Press Source: Daily Herald This time it's not just Border Patrol agents that are going south. It's airplanes too.The only Border Patrol planes in the Pacific Northwest have been sent to Arizona to bolster increasingly deadly stretches of the Mexican border, and officials said Thursday the remaining aircraft along the Canadian border will soon be transferred south, too.Border Patrol agents from Washington state also are being sent to the Southwest once again, despite increased marijuana and other drug smuggling across the Canadian border and lingering concerns about terrorism. The Immigration and Naturalization Service agreed last fall to stop such personnel transfers because of opposition from Border Patrol agents and Washington state's congressional delegation.The resumption follows at least 217 deaths along the Mexican border, mostly from exposure, since the fiscal year began in October.In the same period, more than 352,000 people have been arrested trying to cross the border illegally in the Tucson sector, compared with about 1,500 arrests in the Blaine sector south of Vancouver, British Columbia, said Sharon Gavin, an agency spokeswoman."We're trying to prevent more deaths down there," Gavin said. "This is the deadliest summer on record, with 17 deaths in the Tucson sector alone."Seven planes, including one from Spokane and another from Blaine, have been transferred to bolster Operation Skywatch, a southwestern border crackdown.In another month, Border Patrol planes and pilots from Havre, Mont., and Grand Forks, N.D., also will be sent south, leaving none in the north, Gavin said.Last year agents complained that temporary transfers to the Southwest caused staff shortages.Terrorism concerns were raised in December following the arrest of Ahmed Ressam, an Algerian national who was caught crossing from Canada at Port Angeles with explosives and timing devices in the trunk of his rented car.Gavin said the northern border is being equipped with more lighting, video cameras and sensors to compensate for the temporary loss of planes and personnel. Comments: newmedia heraldnet.comSeattle, Washington Published: Saturday, July 8, 2000Copyright © 2000 The Daily Herald Co., Everett, Wash. Related Articles:Expanded Border Policing Clogs the Courts and Jailhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6260.shtmlBorder Prosecutors Back Off Threat of Drug Ban http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6254.shtmlBorder DAs Just Say Nohttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6214.shtmlU.S. Judge Says Border Courts Swamped by Drug Warhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread3643.shtml CannabisNews Surveillance Archives:http://cannabisnews.com/news/list/surveillance.shtml END SNIP --> Snipped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #5 posted by Rainbow on July 08, 2000 at 21:53:31 PT Double back? I am concerned that the guard might go down and the surprise attack will occur. Unsuspecting travellers will be complacent about entering and be rudely surprised.It is a trick don't be lead to believe the security is gone. The military has been given authority to canvas the southern border so why do they need all the NW folks.The government can be a little tricky and just might be sending out propaganda.CheersRainbow [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Dan Hillman on July 08, 2000 at 12:45:14 PT tacit admission? or response to bribery? Hmmm, Canadian border loosened up...while Mexican border tightened. Well, I've heard rumors lately that the larger smuggling syndicates have been moving operations to the Canadian border (after all, what does it cost to get the contraband up there, another $500 or so?). I guess this confirms it. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by dddd on July 08, 2000 at 11:36:04 PT HOT Yes indeed...this will be a long,hot summer,,,in fact,,it will be a sizzler... It's likely that Mexico will be barbequed.All the deeply entrenched shady officials and their cronies that got voted out of office,are gonna be scrambling to adjust their corruptions,so they can pretend to be innocent. Indeed,,,a hot summer....dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on July 08, 2000 at 11:34:50 PT Right Kaptinemo Right again Kapt! It is going to be a long, hot summer. I've been to El Paso and listened on the CB radio and I know how bad it is just right at that border point. We were told that if we dropped our reefer ( No pun intended ) we must lock it. They steal reefers and then take them over the border and sell what's in the trailer and make a house out of the refrigerated trailer. The drug talk and prostitutes are busy there too. At least they were when we were there a few years ago. I just can't see any way to stop it without more deaths and that is wrong.Peace, FoM! [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by kaptinemo on July 08, 2000 at 10:39:24 PT: Another tacit admission Namely, that the threat of hard-drug smuggling along the US's southern frontier has been much more of a danger than 'BC Bud' ever could be. That all the violence attributable to the hard-drug trade requires the 'authorities' to concentrate their efforts where they're needed most... not with busting Canuck and Yankee couriers carrying weed.The problem is as it has always been: pot couriers are meat on the table for the goons, who don't have to worry about getting shot by potheads. Whereas they might now have to run up against corrupt heavily armed Federales in cahoots with - and sometimes riding shotgun *for* - equally heavily armed narcos. Truly, another kettle of fish - this time, one full of very hungry and brazen piranhas. Who have shown very little fear of drawing US DrugWarrior blood.It's gonna be a long, hot summer. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: