SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection says it is working with Mexican law enforcement to strengthen the binational response to human smuggling throughout the San Diego and Tijuana border region.
The Border Patrol in San Diego, Instituto Nacional de Migracion, Guardia Nacional and the Secretaria de La Defensa Nacional have ramped up mirrored and southside patrols along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to a CBP press release.
“Transnational criminal organizations have little regard for human life and frequently place migrants in danger along the shared U.S.-Mexico border,” stated Chief Patrol Agent Patricia D. McGurk-Daniel. “This collaboration with our Mexican counterparts signifies our mutual commitment to addressing the grave challenges posed by criminal organizations involved in human smuggling. Together, we are working tirelessly to dismantle their operations and keep people out of their dangerous grasp.”
Additionally, the organizations are allocating more resources for information sharing between them so they can arrest criminals, maintain lawful immigration and secure border communities.
Border Patrol says the binational operations will target smugglers who exploit vulnerable people trying to enter the U.S. illegally, disrupt bandit activity and stem the flow of migrants into the country.
According to CBP, the agencies already teamed up last week to arrest two suspected cartel members in Mexico. The suspects were armed with an assault rifle near the Otay Mountain Wildernesss area.
