A weeklong federal border security operation earlier this month resulted in scores of arrests and the discovery of roughly 50 pounds of illegal drugs on public land in southern Arizona, the Department of the Interior revealed on Wednesday.
Between Oct. 31 and Nov. 9, officers caught 48 illegal immigrants in the United States, arrested two Americans for smuggling people into the country, seized 46.5 pounds of methamphetamine and 3 grams of cocaine, and repaired multiple broken fences, according to federal officials.
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According to the Department of the Interior, 16 people face charges for illegally entering the United States after being deported, three as material witnesses, and two for human smuggling.
“Operations like this show our commitment to securing the border, protecting communities, and conserving America’s public lands,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.
The operation targeted sections of the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, Coronado National Forest, Sonoran Desert National Monument, and other neighboring public lands.
“The success of this surge reflects what can be achieved when federal, state, tribal and local agencies coordinate with a shared mission,” said Josiah Andrews, Bureau of Land Management Special Agent in Charge, Region 5. “Our rangers and agents bring exceptional skill to an extremely challenging environment, and we are grateful for their tireless commitment to public safety.”
Officials said Bureau of Land Management rangers and special agents collaborated with law enforcement from the US Forest Service and the US Border Patrol.
The Bureau of Land Management oversees 191 miles of the United States-Mexico border and 8.8 million acres of border-region public lands. The San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area encompasses over 57,000 acres and is a vestige of the Southwest’s once-vast riparian ecosystems.
