Militia groups to patrol for drug smugglers, illegals

In what they call “Operation Line in the Sand II,” militia groups such as the Nationalist Socialist Movement, Coalition of Patriots and the U.S. Border Guard will be conducting a three-day citizens patrol in Vekol Valley, a rural desert area southwest of Maricopa.

The operations will take place Friday through Sunday from a base camp located south of Interstate 8 on Vekol Road. They will conduct patrols over Pinal and Maricopa counties in areas considered to be smuggling routes for drug traffickers and passageways for illegal entries into the United States.

“This area has been selected because of a number of highly publicized incidents between law enforcement agencies and criminal organizations,” said Harry Hughes III, a member of the Nationalist Socialist Movement. “This was also the same area that Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu claimed to be under control of the drug cartels. Most patriotic Americans won’t tolerate our public lands being surrendered to criminal gangs.

“Sheriff Babeu’s statement was a major catalyst in our deciding to patrol. Since we began, we have noticed a dramatically increased law enforcement presence in this area. Going public with this made all the difference in the world.”

Hughes would not disclose how many militia members are expected to participate, and said the groups are not racist.

“The perception that our movement is based in racism is false. In this day and age, people are terrified of being labeled ‘racist,’” he said. “There are groups that will exploit this as soon as another group doesn't agree with them. The term ‘racist’ has been used so much that it has very little meaning. We have conducted previous operations alongside with Native Americans and African-Americans. ‘Illegal’ is not a race. If there was a problem along the Canadian border and I lived close to it, I’d be doing the same thing I am here.”

To underscore the seriousness of the drug-smuggling problem, Hughes pointed out that earlier this week an abandoned truck carrying more than $1 million worth of marijuana was recovered by the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office in Vekol Valley.

The militia activities are done without the participation of law enforcement. The groups say they report their operations to law enforcement. And if applicable, will report any discoveries of illegal aliens, drugs or items of interest.

 “The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office has no authority to restrict or prohibit any citizen in their freedom to travel to Arizona, nor do we desire to do so,” Steve Henry, chief deputy with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, said in a released statement. “With that said, we are not in a position to accept such offers due to a variety of reasons. The sheriff’s office is involved in a number of cooperative interdiction and enforcement efforts with local, state and federal agencies with the goal of gaining and maintaining control of the known smuggling corridors within Pinal County.”

 PCSO Communications Director Tim Gaffney said citizens groups can sometimes hinder the efforts of law enforcement.

“We have had Tactical Operations which have been hindered several times because of citizens patrolling the areas that we are already set up in and conducting operations in,” he said.

For more information, visit usborderguard.com.