THEY KEEP COMING!!!

PCSO has busy week in the Vekol Valley

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Pinal County| Leave a comment

It was a busy week for PCSO patrol deputies and members of SWAT who were assisted by Search and Rescue. From November 14th to 19th, deputies came across 4,094 lbs. of marijuana, made 10 arrests and seized one hand gun.

The week was capped off by members of PCSO Search and Rescue, working with SWAT, who participated in a three-day operation focusing on drug and human smuggling routes in the Vekol Valley area.
The operation was part of ongoing efforts by Homeland Security, ACTT (Alliance to Combat Transnational Threats) to target smuggling operations in the area.
Two separate load vehicles were discovered in an area with thick brush. A Chevrolet Tahoe tracked during the early morning hours on November 18th was discovered abandoned and turned up over 1,500 lbs. A stolen Chevrolet pickup was seized during the early morning hours of the 19th after Search and Rescue tracked the vehicle to a small trail south of Interstate 8 and Freeman Road. The total amount of marijuana inside the vehicle was 1,808 lbs.
Additionally, a group of 6 illegal immigrants were also apprehended near Stanfield Road south of Interstate 8 during the early morning hours of November 17th.
Agencies participating in the three day operation were: Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Land Management, Immigration Customs Enforcement, United States Border Patrol – Tucson Sector, and the Gila River Police Department.
On November 14th, PCSO patrol deputies encountered two separate incidents involving drug smuggling. The first occurred at 3:50 pm when a deputy traveling eastbound on Interstate 10 noticed a 1998 Ford Crown Victoria speeding near Arizona City and initiated a traffic stop.
The driver pulled off to the shoulder at mile marker 208. As the deputy approached the vehicle, he observed two large bundles of marijuana in the back seat. The driver, identified as Leeh Bernice Liston, 42, of Tucson and passenger, Manuel Lopez Gomez of Mexico, were asked to exit the vehicle and subsequently arrested.

Pictured are the bundles of marijuana found inside the trunk of Liston’s vehicle.
Further inspection of the vehicle turned up several more bundles of marijuana in the trunk, totaling more than 250 lbs.
Both Liston and Gomez have been charged with Transporting Marijuana for Sale. Gomez will also be charged for being in the United States illegally.
The second seizure occurred at 6:52 p.m. after a patrol deputy traveling north on Stanfield Road observed a 1998 Chevrolet Suburban exceeding the posted speed limit of 50 mph.
Just north of Peters Road, the deputy initiated a traffic stop. After the vehicle stopped, the driver’s side door opened and a Hispanic male exited; fleeing east into a field. The deputy ordered a second Hispanic male passenger to remain in the vehicle with his hand up. As the deputy approached, he could see several bundles of marijuana in the back seat, partially covered by a black tarp.
A search of the SUV turned up 20 bundles of packaged marijuana, totaling more than 450 lbs. The male subject was removed from the vehicle and found to be in possession of a 9MM handgun, magazine and 32 rounds of ammunition. Because he was believed to be in the county illegally, the subject was transported to the Border Patrol Substation in Casa Grande and turned over for processing.
Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu stated, “Last month we helped deal the Sinaloa Cartel a body blow by taking down several of its key members who used Pinal County as a way to get their drugs into the United States. Despite those efforts, this week proves the problem continues and it will not end until the border is properly secured. ”