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Border Security

The United States border with Mexico extends nearly 2,000 miles along the southern borders of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. The border’s vast length and varied terrain pose significant challenges to US law enforcement. Drug cartels operating along the Southwest border are becoming more sophisticated and dangerous with complex smuggling rings and a structured gang organization. These cartels are equipped with military grade weapons, intelligence and technology as well as deputies who carry out orders. These cartels are operating within the borders with unlimited and undetected amounts of money, which are used to monitor the movement and communication of law enforcement to bypass potential altercations.


Videos Publications

Western Union / Stopping the Money
Cross-border Partnership
Goddard’s Congressional Hearing Testimony and Statements
Criminal Cases
Press Releases
Messages & Blog from Terry Goddard

Western Union: Cutting off the Illegal Cash Flow

$94 Million Settlement to Aid Law Enforcement in Fighting Border Crime

The most effective method of combating smuggling is to block the flow of funds to the organized criminal cartels that seek to profit from Arizona’s porous border. The Attorney General’s Office has aggressively pursued these “blood wires” sent through Western Union and other money transmitters. In doing so, it has successfully moved millions of dollars in smuggling proceeds out of Arizona. This week, an unprecedented $94 million settlement was reached with Western Union which will provide substantial new resources for law enforcement authorities in the four Southwest border states to combat illegal activity along the entire U.S.-Mexico border. Details from the multi-state agreement are available below.

Terry Goddard Announces Historic Settlement Giving Law Enforcement Greater Resources to Fight Border Crime

State’s Highest Court Provides Clarity for Seizing Human Smuggling Payments (Opinion)

Western Union Agrees to Warn Consumers About Fraudulent Money Transfers

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Cross-Border Partnership Publications

Border security cannot be achieved while criminals can take refuge behind the border, moving from one side to the other to avoid prosecution. To eliminate these violent criminal cartels, the rule of law must be established along both sides of the border. The Arizona Attorney General’s Office has reached agreements with Mexico’s top law enforcement officials to collaborate more effectively in four priority areas:

  • Money Laundering
  • Human Smuggling
  • Drug Smuggling
  • Weapons Smuggling

Terry Goddard Signs Historic Bi-National Agreement

Arizona Sonora Agreement

Arizona Baja California Agreement

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Goddard's Congressional Hearing Testimonies Publications

Terry Goddard Testifies on Border Violence before U.S. Senate Hearing
Terry Goddard Testifies on Border Violence before U.S. Senate Hearing Testimony

Goddard Testifies on Border Violence before U.S. Senate Hearing in Phoenix
Goddard Testifies on Border Violence before U.S. Senate Hearing in Phoenix Testimony

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Criminal Cases Publications

Successful anti-smuggling investigations involve federal, state and local agencies working together to attack criminal organizations from the top down.
Cases investigated and/or prosecuted by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office include

Operation ‘Los Tusa’, 2009

  • Quick Action by Law Enforcement Stops Flow of Thousands of Pounds of Marijuana into Pinal County Annually
  • Seizure of $418,640 in U.S. currency, nearly 4,000 pounds of marijuana, 21 vehicles and several assault rifles
  • 21 indicted on charges including possession and transportation of marijuana for sale, money laundering, conspiracy and illegally conducting an enterprise
  • Identification and closure of multiple stash houses in Pinal County
  • Organization used a network of vehicles and individual walkers who carried backpacks filled with 50 - 100 pounds of marijuana each to smuggle across the Arizona desert from the border to southern Pinal County
  • Walkers were allegedly met by drivers in southern Pinal County who transported the drugs to stash houses throughout the county for subsequent sale and distribution
  • Mesa, Tempe and DPS SWAT teams joined PCSO multi-agency SWAT team during the execution of the high risk search warrants

Operation Tumbleweed, 2008

  • One of the largest drug trafficking take-downs in Arizona history
  • 59 indicted, 39 arrested on felony drug trafficking charges
  • Garibaldi-Lopez organization brought two million lbs. of marijuana to the U.S.
  • Traffickers used sophisticated automotive and surveillance technology to bring drugs across the border, through the desert to Phoenix drop houses
  • Year-long investigation required 85 agents from ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs Air and Marine, DEA, Arizona Attorney General’s Office, DPS, Pinal County Sheriff’s Office and Phoenix Police

Operation En Fuego, 2008

  • 35 indicted, 12 arrested on felony smuggling and money laundering charges
  • Organization made $63,000 per week and smuggled a total of 10,000 undocumented immigrants in two years
  • Used a fleet of vans to transport immigrants from Phoenix to 22 states
  • Seven-month investigation conducted by the Financial Crimes Task Force and the U.S. Border Patrol

X-Calibur Gun Store Take-Down, 2008

  • Owner allegedly conspired with straw buyers who smuggled guns to Mexico
  • Owner allegedly instructed straw buyers on ways to falsify purchase forms
  • Seized 1,300 weapons, including AK-47s, assault rifles, other long guns
  • Hundreds of guns found in Mexico have been traced to X-Calibur
  • Eleven-month investigation conducted by the U.S. Marshall; U.S. Department of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives and Phoenix Police

Operation River Walker, 2008

  • One of the largest human smuggling take-downs in Arizona history
  • 48 indicted for smuggling 8,000 undocumented immigrants per year across border to Phoenix drop houses
  • 13 drop houses seized, 20 arrested, 210 undocumented immigrants turned over to ICE
  • Made $130,000 weekly transporting up to 60 people per day
  • Organization believed to have been active for nearly 10 years
  • Used specialized “sub-contractors” to facilitate transport along route including “walkers” to take immigrants across San Pedro River, drop house operators, bank account holders, and load drivers
  • Seven-month investigation conducted by the Financial Crimes Task Force

Operation Fly By Night, 2007

  • Case won top award given by International Association of Chiefs of Police, 2007
  • 16 indicted in one of the largest human smuggling busts in state history
  • Defendants made nearly $2 million running two drop houses, six travel agencies
  • Smuggled 6,800 undocumented immigrants across the country from Phoenix drop houses
  • Provided false identification, ground transportation to Las Vegas and one-way tickets from Las Vegas airport to destinations across U.S.
  • Year-long investigation conducted by the Financial Crimes Task Force

Used Car Lot Seizures, Ongoing

One prominent case:

  • 21 defendants indicted on felony conspiracy, trafficking charges
  • Seized 11 used car lots, 400 vehicles (worth $1.5 million)
  • Used cars from Valley dealerships used to move humans, drugs across state
  • Sophisticated operation provided phony titles to cars to avoid detection
  • Year-long investigation conducted by the Financial Crimes Task Force, DOJ

Press Releases Publications

10/26/2009 Operation ‘Los Tusa’ Takes Down Drug Trafficking Organization
Quick Action by Law Enforcement Stops Flow of Thousands of Pounds of  Marijuana into Pinal County Annually
08/11/2009 Statement from Attorney General Terry Goddard On Supplemental Border Funds for Operation Stonegarden
08/01/2009 Goddard Calls Upon Mexico AG to Help Improve Border Law Enforcement
07/15/2009 Goddard in Washington to Advocate for Border Security, Luke AFB
06/19/2009 Terry Goddard, Homeland Security Officials Pledge Stronger Cooperation
06/11/2009 Undocumented Immigrant Sentenced to Prison for Selling Fake IDs
06/03/2009 State’s Highest Court Provides Clarity for Seizing Human Smuggling Payments (Opinion)
05/13/2009 U.S. Treasury Secretary to Consider Border Security Steps Pioneered in Arizona
04/20/2009 Goddard Testifies on Border Violence before U.S. Senate Hearing in Phoenix (Testimony)
03/17/2009 Terry Goddard Testifies on Border Violence before U.S. Senate Hearing (Testimony)
03/13/2009 State Task Force Takes Down Undocumented Immigrants Making Fake IDs (Indictment) (Indictment) (Photos)
12/23/2008 Terry Goddard Announces Take-Down Of Billion-Dollar Drug-Trafficking Organization
12/12/2008 Operation ‘En Fuego’ Dismantles Massive Human Smuggling Organization
12/05/2008 Supreme Court Upholds Probable Cause in Seizing Western Union Transfers
09/12/2008 Man Sentenced to Prison in Arizona Arms Trafficking Case
07/10/2008 Man Pleads Guilty in Cross-Border Arms Trafficking Case
02/14/2008 Indictment of 48 Defendants Smashes Large Human-Smuggling Organization
02/06/2008 Nine Defendants Indicted on Drug Charges in Pima County

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Messages from Terry Goddard Messages

AG Blog

Border
Arizona Attorney General, Terry Goddard, at the US-Mexico Border

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