Texas authorities, collaborating with federal agencies, have conducted a sweeping operation that has resulted in several drug arrests and seizures. According to Governor Greg Abbott’s administration, the Operation Lone Star effort has helped detain over 532,800 people suspected of immigration offenses and conduct more than 52,900 criminal arrests, resulting in over 44,800 felony charges since its beginning.
During this operation, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) police detained a wanted Mexican Mafia gang member, identified as John Henry Romero, after a high-speed chase. Police discovered four Mexicans, including one minor, with Romero. Romero’s arrest, on charges of smuggling and evasion, is part of a continuous attempt to combat what are described as “open border policies” that allow criminals and illegal substances to infiltrate communities throughout the state.
Earlier last month, DPS agents apprehended Carlos Venegas Ortiz, a man on Texas’ 10 Most Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrants list. According to a statement from Governor Abbott’s office, Ortiz was wanted in Tarrant County for ongoing sexual assault of a minor and was caught in Haltom City. The apprehension required the collaboration of several law enforcement agencies, including local police and the United States Marshals North Texas Fugitive Task Force.
To add to the list of accomplishments, DPS K-9 units have been especially effective in these missions. Among the canine heroes, a K-9 named Bona and her trainer were instrumental in tracking down groups of persons suspected of illegally crossing across tough terrain in Maverick, Dimmit, and Webb counties. In one case reported by the governor’s office, K-9 Bona successfully led to the arrest of a group of people over nearly two miles in Webb County, underscoring the operation’s significance.
On April 13, DPS Special Agents confiscated three bundles of narcotics, including fentanyl tablets and methamphetamine. Their efforts at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry in El Paso prevented the drugs from entering the town and resulted in the arrest of one person on controlled substance charges.
Texas National Guard soldiers have been actively participating in ride-alongs and trainings to improve their reaction capabilities as part of the Border Patrol’s support system. In an effort to reassure and prepare these soldiers, such as Private First Class Jacob Carruth, are committed to rigorous training. “I train every day, regardless of the best warrior competition, to be as lethal as I can in combat,” Carruth said in a recent statement from the Texas Governor’s Office.
