Multi-agency operation nets 60 suspects, 5,433 pounds of marijuana

The latest detail ran from May 11-13 and May 18-20.

Participating in the detail were law enforcement members from the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Yuma County Sheriff’s Office, Arizona Department of Public Safety, U.S. Border Patrol Tucson and Yuma Sectors, Bureau of Land Management, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations, CBP Office of Air and Marine, Tohono O’odham Police Department, Gila River Police Department, Eloy Police Department, U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Arizona and the Arizona National Guard.

During the six day operation agencies arrested 60 suspects, seized 5,433 pounds of marijuana, $115,630 in cash and four firearms.In addition, five stolen vehicles were recovered, seven suspects were prosecuted federally and 38 suspects were prosecuted at the state level.

Some case examples:

May 11 at 1:40 a.m.:a group of 12 people were spotted carrying backpacks believed to be containing marijuana justsouth of Interstate 8. The group was followed to a location approximately 30 yards south of Interstate 8 where they stopped underneath some brush.

Pinal County SWAT and BORTAC Team 5 moved in and engaged the group. Part of the group was taken into custody under trees at that location along with 10 backpacks of marijuana. Several of the suspects fled south from that location and were captured with the assistance of air support. A total of 10 suspects were apprehended, along with a total of 10 marijuana backpacks (492 lbs.), along with a solar charger and other electronic items used for counter surveillance. The suspects and marijuana were turned over to GIITEM for investigation and prosecution.

May 11 at 3 a.m.:a passenger truck with a flatbed trailer was seen stopped on the south shoulder near milepost154 on Interstate 8. The driver was observed acting suspiciously and taking an item from a parked semi trailer at that location and loading it onto his trailer. The truck with the trailer then got back on Interstate 8 and began to travel eastbound. A traffic stop was conducted on the truck on Interstate 8 east of Montgomery Road by AZDPS, Pinal SWAT and BORTAC Team 5. The driver was later identified as Hector Armando Quiroz (age 49 of Bonita, Calif.). He was questioned and subsequently admitted stealing a large crate from the parked semi trailer.

The owner of the semi trailer arrived back at his trailer while this was taking place and contact was made with him by AZDPS. The owner advised that the crate taken contained a turbine worth approximately $100,000. AZDPS then escorted the semi driver to the location of the stop. The semi trailer owner recovered the turbine at the scene. Quiroz was turned over to PCSO Patrol, for the theft case and prosecution.

May 12 at 11 p.m.:a group of eight individuals were observed walking north approximately three miles south ofInterstate 8. These individuals walked to I-8 and crossed over the interstate. Pinal SWAT, BORTAC Team 5, and Pinal K-9 moved in to apprehend these individuals, with air assistance. The subjects all fled northwest from that location.

At 2:30 a.m., one of the individuals was apprehended and turned over to Border Patrol. The rest of the individuals were unable to be located.

May 13 at 8:53 p.m.:AZ DPS was involved in a pursuit with a vehicle which was reported stolen out of Glendale.The pursuit ended near Arizona City, and the driver fled on foot. The driver was apprehended by PCSO after a short fight with the deputies. The driver was turned over to AZ DPS for charging.

May 13 at 11:13 p.m.: a truck was observed traveling "blacked out" south of Interstate 8. The vehicle was tracked toa location where it parked, and a driver and passenger were seen "brushing up" the vehicle and leaving it. The driver and passenger were then seen "bedding down" approximately 100 yards from the vehicle.

With the assistance of air, Border Patrol Agents moved in on the driver and passenger, and one of these subjects was taken into custody. Pinal SWAT with BORTAC Team 5 moved in on the vehicle, a 1999 Ford F250, and secured it. The subject in custody was turned over to GIITEM for prosecution. The registration on the vehicle came back to a false address, and the vehicle was seized. The vehicle was a "supply" vehicle used to re-supply scout locations with food, etc.

May 18 at 10:35 p.m.:units spotted bodies loading into a car on I-8 eastbound. Pinal SWAT members set up ahead of the vehicle to deploy spikes if needed, and AZDPS initiated a traffic stop. Gila River PD and Pinal SWAT/ BORTAC Team 5 backed up the DPS unit. The vehicle contained four Hispanic males believed to be "scouts." These subjects were turned over to AZDPS GIITEM and Border Patrol for prosecution.

May 19 at 8:40 p.m.:ICE Detention saw multiple subjects loading "packs" into a large truck that was alsoaccompanied by two small sedans. These vehicles traveled east on I-8 from that location. With the assistance of ICE and Air, units were able to catch up to the vehicles. A high risk traffic stop was conducted by Gila River PD, BORTAC Team 5 / PCSO SWAT, ICE Agents and AZDPS GIITEM on all three vehicles at approximately milepost 158 on I-8. The passenger of the truck fled and was quickly apprehended by BORTAC Team 5 K-9. All occupants (eight total) were taken into custody, and it was discovered that the cab of the truck had eight bundles of marijuana weighing approximately 174 lbs.

May 19 at 9:45 p.m.: the air unit advised that it had located persons south of I-8 between Russell Road and MurphyRoad. Pinal SWAT and BORTAC Team 5 moved into the location with the assistance of air. No individuals were discovered, and it is believed that the heat signatures were residual from bodies that had been in that location, but made it out before ground units could move in.

May 19 at 10:32 p.m.:Pinal SWAT and BORTAC Team 5 had a "blacked out" Ford truck pass one of our elementsnear Stanfield Road. After passing our personnel, the vehicle immediately fled at a high rate of speed west of Stanfield Road and into the desert area. Ground units were unable to maintain a visual on the truck as it traveled further south west into the desert area. Pinal/BORTAC attempted to track the vehicle, but eventually lost sight of it as it traveled toward the gas pipeline road.

“These multi agency details have a much greater impact than just in Pinal County,” said Sheriff Paul Babeu. “Pinal County is the number one pass through county in America for drug and human trafficking because of the roadways and terrain. The cartels of Mexico have between 75 to 100 lookout posts through this known drug and human smuggling corridor. They use these high vantage points to ensure their loads, whether they are humans or drugs, make it through. Some of these loads stop in Phoenix, but many of them are sent throughout the United States. I appreciate the assistance provided by all of these law enforcement agencies to disrupt the cartels’ activities. We need this continuous law enforcement presence to help protect America until the border is truly secured.”