Border Operation Results In Numerous Arrests, Drug Seizures

A special operation was conducted by the NPS, BLM, Forest Service and Border Patrol in the park and on adjacent Coronado NF lands during the period from May 8th to May 18th. The objective of the operation was to reduce resource impacts from illegal aliens and deny the use of the area to drug smugglers. Although the operation covered only three miles of the park/forest border with Mexico, rangers and officers apprehended more than 300 illegal immigrants and seized 564 pounds of marijuana. During the later stages of the operation, Border Patrol aircraft saw a person setting five fires in the forest below an observation point manned by Border Patrol agents in an apparent effort to burn them out. A second fire was set several days later adjacent to the park boundary in another attempt to divert attention from smuggling activities. Both fires required suppression by an incident management team but did not impede the enforcement operation.