June 1, 2007

ICE, CBP make joint significant ammunition and assault-rifle seizure
Enforcement activity part of the Rio Grande Valley "BEST" initiative

HARLINGEN, Texas - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Rio Grande Valley Border Enforcement Security Task force (BEST) members and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) yesterday arrested four Mexican men for attempting to smuggle ammunition and high-powered rifles through the Pharr Port of Entry.

Jose Hernandez, 50, and Luis Hernandez, 18, were spotted Wednesday by BEST team members purchasing ammunition from a number of McAllen, Texas, stores. After making their purchases, both drove to an undisclosed nearby location to load the ammunition onto a tractor-trailer driven by Fernando Venegas, 48. A short time later, Venegas also allegedly attempted to smuggle assault rifles as well. During a routine inspection of the vehicle, CBP officers detected discrepancies inside the vehicle's sleeper cab and discovered more than 3,700 rounds of ammunition and several dozen assault rifles. Venegas was arrested without incident at the port. Also arrested for his involvement in the criminal activity was Pedro Lopez-Lopez.

A federal judge in McAllen yesterday charged all four with violating the Arms Export Control Act, Gun Control Act of 1968, conducting a firearms business without a license, and conspiracy. All four will remain in federal custody until the investigation is completed.

"The arrest of these four suspects demonstrates the BEST team's dedication to pursue those who pose a threat to public safety and the well being of our communities," said Janice Ayala, acting special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in San Antonio. "We will continue to target criminal organizations, and ensure compliance with our immigration and customs laws and make certain that our nation's borders are secure at all times."

David Higgins, CBP Port Director for Pharr and Hidalgo commended his officers for doing an excellent job. "This is a significant enforcement action and is an example of what we do best."

The Rio Grande Valley's BEST task force is a Department of Homeland Security intelligence driven, interagency federal and state and local taskforce composed of special agents and officers from: ICE; CBP; Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General; the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the FBI; Cameron County Sheriff's Office; the Harlingen Police Department; and other state and local law enforcement agencies.

"BEST" BACKGROUND
The RGV BEST team, now based in the ICE office in Harlingen, Texas, was first established in Laredo, Texas, in July 2005. The BEST Laredo team was formalized by the Department of Homeland Security in response to significantly increased border crime and violence in the south Texas border area, specifically in the adjacent border cities of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and Laredo, Texas. This crime increase has been attributed to the ongoing battle between the Gulf and the Sinaloa drug cartels.

The drug cartels' struggle for power was so marked in its use of violence, extortion and corruption, it resulted in destabilizing the city of Nuevo Laredo. The BEST teams (also located in, El Paso, Arizona and California) target the primary criminal activity or criminal threats identified in their respective areas of responsibilities.

The Laredo BEST team remains focused on eliminating violent crime attributed to cross-border smuggling activity by developing and/or improving existing working partnerships with U.S. agencies (primarily CBP, ATF, DEA, FBI and Laredo PD) and Mexican intelligence and law enforcement agencies (PFP and CISEN), which are all BEST participants.

This international collaboration has already resulted in impressive arrests and contraband seizures, on both sides of the border. The Laredo BEST team has been directly responsible for deporting individuals wanted for murder and horrific acts of violence, on both sides of the border. Additionally, it has resulted in revoking or not issuing visas to individuals suspected or confirmed to be involved in large-scale criminal activity.

Since its inception, the Laredo BEST team has been responsible for 74 criminal arrests, which include seven individuals wanted for murders in Laredo, and three in Mexico. Also, the task force has been responsible for seizing: more than $4 million dollars, 1049 lbs. of marijuana, 355 lbs. of cocaine, 42 assault rifles, 12 live hand grenades and/or improvised explosive devices (IEDs), five shotguns, 25 handguns, eight silencers, significant amounts of gun parts and 1 1/2 pounds of methamphetamines. Additionally, components to make over 100 more IEDs have been seized.

In Mexico, Proyecto Frontera Norte attributes the following statistics to their partnership with ICE: 97 criminal arrests, 69 undocumented immigrants apprehensions, and 111 firearms, 146 magazines, 6838 rounds of ammunition, 44 vehicles, more than 1100 lbs. of marijuana, $34,564 and more than 237,880 pesos seized.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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