Pubdate: Fri, 01 Feb 2002
Source: El Paso Times (TX)
Copyright: 2002 El Paso Times
Contact:  http://www.elpasotimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/829
Author: Diana Washington Valdez

AGENT FIRED AT WHILE CHASING ALLEGED DRUG SMUGGLERS

Shooting Near Fabens Is 2nd Against Border Patrol In 2 Months

U.S. law enforcement officials are investigating a shooting attack 
Wednesday against El Paso Border Patrol agents who surprised a group of 
drug smugglers west of the Fabens border crossing, said Jerry Armstrong, 
deputy chief Border Patrol agent.

"The FBI and the Mexican authorities are working with us on the 
investigation," Armstrong said. "We also plan to meet with other U.S. and 
Mexican officials and with Juarez police to come up with ways to protect 
our agents and other people in the border against such attacks in the future."

Two Border Patrol agents in separate vehicles were patrolling about seven 
miles west of the Fabens crossing at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday when one of them 
spotted a suspicious car. The agents were responding to a report that a 
vehicle had crossed the border illegally.

The driver of the car, a Dodge Dynasty, saw the agents approaching and 
tried to return to Mexico. The driver then abandoned the car and fled on 
foot to Mexico. Pursued by agents, the first driver ran past a group of six 
men who were on the U.S. side by the river levee, officials said.

"These men were mules," or drug smugglers, Armstrong said.

Suddenly, one of the agents heard a loud noise while he was chasing the men 
in his vehicle, and he did not realize until later that his rear side 
windows had been shot out. All the smuggling suspects got away.

"The agents are all right, and they are back on the job," Armstrong said.

When the agents seized the Dodge, they also found 219 pounds of marijuana 
and a two-way radio. The marijuana, with a street value of $175,000, was 
turned over to the El Paso County Sheriff's Department.

The area where the incident occurred is a ranching community opposite El 
Millon, which U.S. anti-drug officials have said is a stronghold of drug 
trafficking.

Drug seizures in the Fabens zone indicate that smuggling is increasing, 
Border Patrol spokesman Doug Mosier said. From Oct. 1, 2001, to Jan. 30, 
agents made 78 drug seizures having a combined street value of $15 million, 
he said.

"The Fabens area has been the site of similar aggravated assaults in recent 
months, due in part to the success of Border Patrol agents in intercepting 
narcotics loads originating in Mexico," Mosier said.

This is the second time in less than two months that drug-smuggling 
suspects have fired at Border Patrol agents around El Paso. On Dec. 5, 
someone shot at agents twice from the Mexican side of the Rio Grande near 
West Paisano Drive. No one was hurt.

Three men were arrested in that incident in connection with the seizure of 
158 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $126,000. The 
person or persons who fired the shots weren't caught.
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