The Texas National Guard, deployed to Task Force South, has been engaged in significant drug seizures over the past fortnight. They have intercepted over 800 pounds of narcotics that smugglers were attempting to transport into the U.S.
According to a news release from the Texas government, members of Operation Lone Star unit operating in the Brownsville area identified scouts in a zone they were securing and alerted the Texas National Guard drone team. The drone team detected heat signatures indicative of human presence in the region where the scouts were sighted and informed law enforcement officials. Airmen intervened to assist law enforcement officers and apprehended two smugglers carrying two bundles of marijuana. The same drone team, a week later, identified eight individuals with narcotics bundles and notified the Department of Public Safety. Upon their arrival, Airmen assisted law enforcement agencies in intercepting the traffickers. The confiscated eight bundles of marijuana weighed approximately 483 pounds and had an estimated street value of $386,800.
Operation Lone Star was initiated by Texas Governor Greg Abbott in March 2021 to curb illegal immigration, as per information on the Texas Indigent Defense Commission website.
"There are no consequences from the federal government to prevent illegal border crossings," stated Texas DPS Lieutenant Chris Olivarez. "As long as the federal government continues to incentivize and reward illegal immigration, we’re going to continue seeing these large caravans, these trains that are being used to transport these migrants further to the border to their entrance through Texas or Arizona—and those are the challenges we’re having to face as a state."
In another incident reported by a news release from the Texas government, members of the drone team aided law enforcement officials in seizing 261.8 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $209,400.
"The work our service members are performing along the Texas border is imperative to national security," said Lt. Col. Wayne Sanaghan, commander of 432nd Air Expeditionary Group. "Over the last ten days, we’ve successfully prevented approximately 845 lbs. of narcotics from being trafficked into our country. We are proud of our Texas National Guard members on this mission and are grateful for our partnership with the Texas Department of Public Safety."
