The National Border Patrol Council is warning agents to “watch out for each other,” and “stay safe,” after an emergency alert was issued in response to a call received by a Texas police department that the cartels had kidnapped an agent.
The Christmas alert called for all Rio Grande Valley agents to check in with their stations as part of the accountability protocol.
A Border Patrol official told Breitbart Texas, that the measures undertaken by authorities were precautionary in nature.
Breitbart filed an update on December 26: “As of 10 am local time all on duty RGV sector agents have been accounted for. At this time RGV sector has not been able to corroborate the authenticity of the phone call received by the La Joya Police Department. Nevertheless through an abundance of caution the sector continues to pursue existing protocols to account for all RGV sector agents. The sector is also communicating with the CBP office of internal affairs, FBI, the La Joya PD and the government of Mexico regarding the original call.”
On Wednesday, December 24, at approximately 6:45 p.m. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the San Ysidro Port of entry in San Diego, California, were attacked by a U.S. citizen they had taken into custody after he applied for entry into the U.S. a records checks revealed that he should be considered armed and dangerous.
According to the department, CBP officers escorted the man to the security office. There, officers conducted a pat down, seized heroin, and reviewed law enforcement records to confirm criminal history and a warrant for his arrest. After being seated in front of the security desk for further processing, the man jumped over the desk and attacked two officers who were confirming the man’s criminal history.
One of the agents used a stun gun on the man and “gained physical control” of the man according to CBP.
Several minutes later, the man became unresponsive and a CBP Medical First Responder administered emergency medical aid. Emergency medical technicians arrived shortly after, continued emergency medical procedures and transported the man to a local hospital, where a medical physician pronounced the individual deceased.
Four officers involved were transported to a local hospital to be screened and treated for minor injuries.
The San Diego Police Department, CBP’s Office of Internal Affairs and the DHS Office of Inspector General are investigating.
On December 23, El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Indio Station arrested a suspected drug smuggler with 1.51 pounds of heroin strapped to his body.
At approximately 8:30 a.m., Border Patrol agents encountered a bus at the Highway 86 checkpoint and referred it to the secondary inspection area for an immigration check.
Agents encountered a 23-year-old male U.S. citizen riding on the bus who was traveling alone. Through questioning, agents discovered that the man was carrying a package of heroin strapped to his torso area. El Centro Sector agents at the Highway 86 checkpoint seize more than 1.5 pounds of heroin strapped to a man’s torso.
The heroin had a weight of 1.51 pounds with an estimated street value of more than $18,000.
The man and seized drugs were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.
On the same day, U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to Yuma Sector’s Wellton Station found 242 pounds of abandoned marijuana, worth $121,000, while patrolling near Gila Bend.