A Predator Snags A Predator

Officials with the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) tell ANN earlier this week, one of the agency's unmanned aircraft detected and assisted Border Patrol agents in the apprehension of a wanted fugitive in the vicinity of Anderson Mine, along the Arizona border with Mexico.

Around 0000 PDT Tuesday, the CBP Air and Marine UAS detected and tracked six suspected aliens during surveillance operations along the Arizona border with Mexico. CBP Border Patrol agents and Air Interdiction Agents responded to the scene arresting all six aliens, one of which is wanted for child rape in King County, WA.

"There is no greater illustration of Customs and Border Protection's critical mission of protecting our borders than the apprehension of a suspected child rapist," said W. Ralph Basham, Commissioner, US Customs and Border Protection. "The unmanned aircraft is an important tool among many that CBP applies to our border security efforts. We will use every available asset and commit every available resource to ensure criminals and terrorists have no chance of illegal entry."

CBP turned over the suspect to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office for extradition to the State of Washington and removed the five other aliens apprehended at the scene. The UAS detection and Border Patrol response also resulted in the seizure of 395 pounds of marijuana.

CBP UASs have flown nearly 2,000 hours, directly contributing to more than 3,900 arrests and the seizure of approximately 13,660 pounds of marijuana. CBP UASs support CBP's primary mission of securing the border and preventing acts of terrorism by providing a long duration Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capability to augment crewed law enforcement aircraft and watercraft and Border Patrol agents.

The Predator B that assisted officers Tuesday, CBP 104, is the agency's newest Unmanned Aircraft System. It entered service with the CBP October 30, 2006, and operates out of the CBP Air and Marine UAS Operation Center in Sierra Vista, AZ, as a component of the CBP Air and Marine Tucson Air Branch.

The UAS serves as a force multiplier to air and marine interdiction agents and Border Patrol agents operating in their respective environments.

The Predator B may fly for thirty hours at a time covering up to 2,800 nautical miles at altitudes over 50,000 feet. CBP is working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to gain access to the National Airspace System (NAS), which has been held up over concerns of the threat the unmanned planes may pose to manned aircraft.

FMI: www.cbp.gov