Pubdate: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 Source: Tucson Citizen (AZ) Copyright: 2001 Tucson Citizen Contact: http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/461 Author: Blake Morlock BORDER DRUG BUSTS SET RECORDS FOR YEAR U.S. Customs Service agents are crediting improvements in training, tactics and technology for a record year of drug seizures along the Arizona-Mexico border. From October 2000 to September 2001, agents in Arizona seized 240,888 pounds of heroin, cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamines - 34 percent more than last year. Record drug busts were reported in three of the four sectors along the border, according to Roger Maier, U.S. Customs Service spokesman in El Paso, Texas. Only the West Texas-New Mexico region saw a decrease - of just 25 pounds - in drug seizures during fiscal 2001. Along the entire U.S.-Mexican border, 1.4 million pounds of illegal drugs were seized during the period, compared 1.1 million pounds last year. Agents also arrested 1,198 suspected drug traffickers, secured 640 related indictments and confiscated $6.1 million in suspected drug money. Concentrated crackdowns in border towns have helped drive drug traffickers out into the desert, Maier said. "It's one thing to be a needle in a haystack of 20,000 cars" at a border crossing, Maier said. "If you are out in the desert, you can't blend in with everyone else." Maier said the record number of arrests is not necessarily related to increased drug traffic along the border. He also noted there was a drastic 10-day drop in drug traffic after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. DRUG SEIZURES (In pounds): Oct.'00-Sept.'01 Oct.'99-Sept.'00 Heroin 116 22 Cocaine 4,794 4,778 Marijuana 235,506 174,597 Methamphetamine 172 239 Currency $6.1M $4.5M Arrests 1,198 1,040 Indictments 640 738 Source: U.S. Customs Service - --- MAP posted-by: Jackl