TUCSON - A Hunter unmanned aerial vehicle flown out of Fort Huachuca as part of a U.S. Border Patrol test program helped stop four groups of drug smugglers and aided in the apprehension of 43 illegal immigrants in separate incidents between Monday and Wednesday.
Andrea Zortman, a spokeswoman for the agency's Tucson Sector, said all the marijuana seizures happened in Santa Cruz County, while the apprehensions of illegal immigrants occurred in Cochise County.
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An agent using a night-vision scope spotted nine people carrying bundles around 10 p.m. Monday that the agent suspected was marijuana, Zortman said.
Because the group was in mountainous terrain, causing them to be in and out of the agent's sight, a Hunter flight was requested.
The aircraft was sent to the area and monitored the group as agents on the ground responded.
As the agents approached the people carrying the bundles dropped them and fled, Zortman said. A Border Patrol K-9 unit eventually located seven bundles, with a weight of 353 pounds.
At 1 a.m. Tuesday, a Hunter was again called for when an agents discovered footprints heading north. The pilotless plane was flown ahead of where the agent discovered the footprints and sent back images of the group of illegal border-crossers.
The agents on the ground were given GPS coordinates and guided to the illegal immigrants by the UAV support team, Zortman said. Thirty-one people were apprehended.
The third incident occurred around 4 a.m. Tuesday when a ground sensor went off near Sonoita, which sent a Hunter to the area where the device was activated.
The UAV, using heat detectors, located some people hiding in the brush.
As the Hunter loitered above the area, keeping the support team informed of any potential problems, agents came near the group, who fled and were not apprehended. The group, however, left behind more than 529 pounds of marijuana in nine bundles, discovered by a Border Patrol K-9 unit, Zortman said.
Around 9 p.m. Tuesday, an agent using a scope noted seven individuals walking along a power line road near Highway 82 close to Sonoita.
A Hunter arrived on scene and guided ground agents to the area, but the smugglers dropped six bundles weighing 297 pounds and fled. None of the smugglers were taken into custody.
On Wednesday at about 4 a.m., a group of nine drug smugglers was seen off Highway 82 near Sonoita, and the UAV support team kept track of them. Although most of the smugglers got away, two were apprehended and 321 pounds of marijuana in seven bundles were seized, Zortman said.
About 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, a group of 10 illegal immigrants was found north of the Babocomari River in Cochise County. The group was discovered by a Hunter flying on a random pattern. The UAV support team guided agents to the group, with all being apprehended.
The total value of the 1,501.66 pounds of marijuana seized in these incidents is nearly $1,201,600.
The Hunter evaluation by the Border Patrol began on Oct. 10. Since its use, the aircraft has been help apprehend 80 illegal immigrants.
The use of Army Hunters is part of a Border Patrol contract through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security with the Department of Defense, which is scheduled to last until at least the middle of January.
The aircraft fly out of Fort Huachuca, where soldiers are trained on how to fly and maintain the UAV.
Zortman said the Hunter will be flying more hours every day.
HERALD/REVIEW senior reporter Bill Hess can be reached at 515-4615 or by e-mail at bill.hess@svherald.com.
