News Release

October 24, 2011 Contact: Tucson Sector

ACTT Partners Participate in 14-Day Vekol Valley Operation

1st Iteration of Vekol Valley Ops for FY12
TUCSON, Ariz. From October 9 22, the Alliance to Combat Transnational Threats (ACTT), operating ongoing multi-agency enforcement activities in Arizona, conducted the first iteration of Vekol Valley Operations for Fiscal Year 2012. The multi-agency operation, led by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as part of BLMs Operation ROAM (Reclaim our Arizona Monuments), concentrated efforts in Vekol Valley. The other agencies participating in this operation were: Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) United States Border Patrol Tucson and Yuma Sectors Customs and Border Protection Office of Air & Marine (OAM) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) ICE Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) United States Attorneys Office Pinal County Sheriffs Office Pinal County Attorneys Office Maricopa County Sheriffs Office HIDTA Task Force Eloy Police Department

Intelligence gathered and shared between the agencies led to: Arrests 63 Illegal Aliens (10/21) 2 USCs (10/21) Seizures 4153.6 Marijuana (Pounds) (Photos available) 0.1 Methamphetamine (grams) Vehicles 11 Seized 3 Recovered 5895 pounds of trash cleaned up and removed

The operation, which utilized Border Patrol detection equipment as well as air assets from CBP OAM, displayed unprecedented levels of cooperation, coordination and communication between agencies across Arizona to deny, degrade, disrupt and dismantle smuggling organizations. The

Border Patrol is committed to working with Federal, State, Local and Tribal law enforcement agencies to keep our communities safe. ACTT leverages the diversity of all the participating agencies and leads to a better outcome for everyone, most importantly the public. The coordination and partnership among the agencies helps to provide a safer and more secure environment for the public, employees and users of public lands; it also helps protect public land resources and values from the effects of smuggling. BLMs success on our borderlands is dependent on our partnership in this alliance. Jon Young, Bureau of Land Management, State Chief Ranger - Arizona