By CATHERINE DONNELLY
Special to the PRESS
In the morning hours of Tuesday, January 30, U.S. Border Patrol agents and Cameron County Parks Rangers, discovered a large black bag washed up on the shore, containing 25 bricks of cocaine wrapped in cellophane with an image of a Toucan on them while exercising Operation Stonegarden.
Operation Stonegarden is federally funded grant program facilitates supports state and local law enforcement agencies extra border security, according to the National Immigration Forum.
As stated in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) press release, the black bag was discovered as they were patrolling Beach Access 3 on South Padre Island, Texas. The seized narcotics totaled just over 70 pounds with a street value of more than 2.2 million dollars.
According to USCBP, the joint task force was working Operation Stone Garden, when they encountered the wayward and unclaimed narcotics on the beach of South Padre Island. Parks Rangers contacted Fort Brown Border Patrol agents to advise them that they encountered the abandoned drugs.
Chief patrol agent Gloria I. Chavez said, “[This was an] outstanding coordination and collaboration with our partners,” and he continues, “These narcotic smuggling cases highlight the threat by drug trafficking organizations impacting our region every day.” Chavez finishes his statement, “I commend the relentless work performed by our partner agencies and our RGV Border Patrol agents working hard to keep our border and community safe.”
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), under the authority of the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Operation Stonegarden (OPSG) program budget totaled $90 million in 2023 for funding to enhance cooperation and coordination among state, local, tribal, territorial, and federal law enforcement agencies. They jointly enhance security along the United States land and water borders. The OPSG objectives include increasing agencies’ capability to prevent, protect against and respond to border security issues.
FEMA also states, the grant aims to remove barriers and issues related to the coordination and collaboration among law enforcement agencies by funding the extra costs involved including personnel, travel and supplies needed for the operation. It aims to increase operational, material and technological readiness of the different law enforcement agencies as they coordinate on border issues.
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