As the smuggling of illegal immigrants into Arizona by “coyotes” has become more aggressive, my office has initiated new strategies to combat it.

I established a Border Trafficking Team specializing in the prosecution of cases related to human smuggling and drug importation, especially methamphetamine produced in Mexico’s so-called “super-labs.” This nine-member team is handling the recent prosecution of more than a dozen coyotes under a new state human trafficking law. The team is also prosecuting cases involving ID theft and false identifications.

Another key step has been to strike at the smugglers’ financial underpinnings. Working with banks, the courts and state and local law enforcement, we have targeted wire transfers that are vital to these smuggling operations. In the past year, we have arrested 160 smugglers, stopped more than 12,400 wire transfers and seized more than $15 million in funds. We have also taken $3 million in vehicles used by smugglers and $5 million in other property.  

Financial crime experts in the Attorney General’s Office have developed cutting-edge computer algorithms to review transfer payments sent into Arizona and identify ones that appear suspicious. These usually turn out to be payments made to coyotes for bringing immigrants across the border. Arizona is leading the nation in this type of investigation and the resulting prosecution.

Additionally, my office has worked to disrupt the coyote smuggling rings operating out of northern Mexico. This initiative led to the seizure of 11 used car lots and more than 400 vehicles in the Phoenix area being used by smugglers. My office has also prosecuted criminal organizations that produced fraudulent identification documents, which were sold to undocumented immigrants.

The federal government, unfortunately, has badly neglected its responsibility to ensure border security. We will continue working within our legal jurisdiction to tighten it.  

Terry Goddard