Bi-National Operation Yields Rifle, Ammunition, Makeshift Ladders

U.S. Border Patrol Agents conducted a bi-national operation with Government of Mexico law enforcement elements along the shared border region near Otay Mountain in California.

The bi-national patrol began Wednesday at about 6 a.m. in the mountainous area east of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry and included Border Patrol Agents from the San Diego Sector Foreign Operations Branch and the Guardia Nacional and Instituto Nacional de Migracion.

This mountainous area is well-known for smuggling and bandit activity because of its desolate location and deep canyons on both sides of the international border.

“Our agents continue to leverage the strong relationships we have forged with our law enforcement partners in Mexico,” said San Diego Chief Patrol Agent Aaron M. Heitke. “Border safety has always been a shared concern, and this is just one example of how our coordinated efforts against a common threat has paid off.”

While patrolling the area, agents using handheld drone technology observed a group of suspected undocumented migrants and armed smugglers near the international boundary.  As the bi-national team responded to the location from both sides of the border, the group saw the agents and absconded deeper into Mexico. The group was able to get away, but left behind several items.  

Agents secured the abandoned items which included: a loaded rifle magazine, 75 rounds of 7.62 ammunition, and 29 makeshift ladders used to scale the border wall.  All the seized items were transported to the Joint California Forensic Center for processing.  Information gleaned from the forensic process will be shared with the GoM law enforcement partners.