Posted on 11/15/2008 12:19:34 PM PST by NormsRevenge
Three Tijuana police officers suspected of ties to organized crime were detained this week by U.S. authorities as they tried to cross into the United States.
The officers, two of whom were assistant chiefs, were taken into custody at the Otay Mesa and San Ysidro ports of entry, said Lauren Mack, spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in San Diego.
The officers worked for the municipal police department and were turned over to the Mexican military. The first two were detained Monday and are among the 20 municipal officers being held for questioning in Mexico City by the federal organized-crime unit, known as SIEDO. Many of the detainees in that group held top positions.
At least two who were detained at the border had crossing cards, Mack said, but their names were on a list provided by the Mexican military. She did not have information on the third.
“We were aware that these were suspects in an investigation,” Mack said.
The detentions have profoundly shaken the 2,200-officer department as the city has faced weeks of violence, the result of a turf battle between drug traffickers fighting for control of smuggling in the Tijuana region.
Most of the municipal officers were detained Monday after being summoned to the Morelos military base near downtown Tijuana. Several others were apprehended later.
The officers who were detained as they tried to cross Monday were identified as Gilberto Fimbres and Sergio Campo Rivera. Mack confirmed the identity of the third officer as José Juan Hernández Mendoza. He was stopped Thursday at Otay Mesa, she said.
Fimbres and Campo Rivera were assistant chiefs. Hernández's position was not available.
It was unclear yesterday whether any other municipal officers are being sought. Baja California Gov. José Guadalupe Osuna Millán said Thursday that the names of 10 state police agents who are wanted for questioning by Mexican organized-crime investigators had been turned over to U.S. officials in case they try to cross the border.
I wouldn’t look for any front page coverage in the TIMES or POST; SIXTY MINUTES is probably too busy kissing the butts of Michelle and Barry. Don’t think there was a single question in a single presidential “debate” about the border crime and drug lords who have moved in...why would the press be interested in that?
PING !!
We hear all this talk about fighting our foes on their ground,, Well, there’s the border, President Bush and soon President Obama,, what the heck are you going to do about it? It is a frickin’ war zone.. a smoking keg of gunpowder.
Where are the troops? The Guard? Where are Ramos and Compean when ya need guys who know what to do with a gun at the border. ;-)
Mexico is a hopelessly corrupt narco state that has all but failed. On one hand, I’m sympathetic to people who want to flee the sewer. On the other hand, they come here and bring their culture with them (intentionally or not). Ever hear any of these Mexican songs that make heros of drug dealers? They are big in the Latino community. They would be better recognizing what got them where they are and shunning this behavior rather than romantasicing it. Sadly, its all bound up in national pride. As a result of barely checked illegal immigration, this is all coming soon to a neighborhood near you.
They’ll get “fairer” treatment than Ramos and Compean did, no doubt. If those two men aren’t pardoned by President Bush when he leaves, I take back all my remaining support for him. They were doing their bit to fight the War On Terror, too, and they were right on the front lines.
No, we don’t need border enforcement or fences.
Call the Border Patrol and that prosecutor in El Paso.... /sarc
I bet some special detection technology stipped them.
Surely Jorge is already on his way to Mexico to kiss posterior and apologize. I wonder if the agents that made the arrest will be put in prison like Ramos and Campeon.
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