News Release May 25, 2011

Contact: Tucson Sector

Public Affairs Office
(520) 748-3210
www.cbp.gov

ACTT Operation Yields Results After Six Days

More than 5,400 pounds of marijuana; $115,000 seized

TUCSON, Ariz. – A six-day Alliance to Combat Transnational Threats (ACTT) operation in the
Vekol Valley area of Arizona concluded on May 21. The ACTT operation resulted in the seizure of
more than 5,400 pounds of marijuana and $115,600 in illicit currency. The marijuana had an
estimated street value of $2.7 million.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) was the lead agency during this ACTT operation
which focused on apprehending smugglers and disrupting the activities of transnational criminal
organizations operating in the Vekol Valley area. The intelligence driven operation displayed the
unprecedented level of cooperation, coordination and communication that is taking place between
law enforcement agencies across Arizona. The operation also exemplifies the ACTT’s commitment
to deter, disrupt, and interdict individuals and criminal organizations that pose a threat to border
communities.

“DPS is proud to be the lead law enforcement agency involved in this crucial on-going effort to stop
the flow of drugs and weapons through Arizona,” said Robert Halliday, Director of the Arizona
Department of Public Safety. “We will continue to work with our partners to get the job done. These
brave men and women in law enforcement put their lives on the line every day as they arrest drug
smugglers in the hope of making our communities safer.”

The operation resulted in the following arrests and seizures:

 55 illegal aliens arrested
 Five United States citizens arrested
 5,433 pounds of marijuana seized
 $115,630 in currency seized
 Four firearms seized
 Five stolen vehicles recovered
 Seven individuals federally prosecuted
 38 individuals prosecuted by the state
 10 individuals were processed through the Tucson Consequence Delivery System

The operation involved the following agencies:

 Pinal County Sheriff’s Office
 Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office
 Yuma County Sheriff’s Office
 U.S. Border Patrol, Tucson and Yuma Sectors
 Bureau of Land Management
 Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations
 Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations
  CBP Office of Air and Marine
 Tohono O’odham Police Department
 Gila River Police Department
 Casa Grande Police Department
 Eloy Police Department
 U.S. Attorney’s Office, Arizona District

ACTT, launched in September 2009, continues to utilize a collaborative, cooperative enforcement

approach that leverages the capabilities and resources of Department of Homeland Security agencies
in Arizona in partnership with other federal, state, local, tribal governments and the government of
Mexico against criminal organizations that pose a threat to the United States. These agencies
continue working together to diligently share vital information on current smuggling trends that have
led to a number of mutually beneficial, intelligence driven operations that continue to support their
common goal of making our country safer.

~ CBP ~

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland
Security charged with management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official
ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while
enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.