Pubdate: Sun, 27 Mar 2016
Source: Imperial Valley Press (CA)
Copyright: 2016 Imperial Valley Press
Contact:  http://www.ivpressonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1877

BORDER TUNNEL PROVES NEED FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT'S CONTINUED WORK

Those of us who live on the border know that a border wall only 
serves as a temporary impediment.

Yes, a bigger or more high-tech wall may provide more discouragement 
for some, but there will always be those who find ways to go over, 
through or under any such fence or wall constructed on the border. It 
is their job to get contraband and/or people on the other side of the 
wall, and they will find ways to do it sooner or later.

We have a few different "impenetrable" walls built on the border 
between Calexico and Mexicali over the years, and each new 
"impenetrable" wall has been scaled or penetrated within weeks, if not days.

Then there are the tunnels. Tunnels have been built between Mexicali 
and Calexico for decades, and many such tunnels have gone undetected 
by authorities for long periods of time, meaning countless loads of 
drugs and people have come into our country illegally via such tunnels.

Fortunately, it appears the latest tunnel discovered between Calexico 
and Mexicali was found shortly after it went into operation. Law 
enforcement officers had been watching the activities of those 
involved with the construction of the tunnel and busted the suspects 
and confiscated more than 1,500 pounds of marijuana this week.

This tunnel went from Third Street in Calexico to the now-closed El 
Sarape restaurant/bar near the border in Mexicali. Yes, that is the 
same El Sarape that was once a popular tourist attraction/mariachi 
performance hub. And the home in Calexico where the tunnel ended was 
basically just a shell of a house, apparently largely built to 
conceal the tunnel.

We praise the fine work of the federal and local law enforcement 
officers who nipped this criminal conspiracy in the bud, and we are 
overjoyed that another source for ferrying illegal cargo into this 
country has been closed. But law enforcement officers know there is 
no rest for the weary when it comes to stopping those who want to 
breach the border. The criminals involved are tireless, ruthless, 
detail-oriented and innovative.

While border walls may work to some degree in keeping out that and 
those who don't belong in this country, we saw again in this latest 
tunnel case that it is the work of dedicated law enforcement officers 
that really can make a difference in keeping our border more secure.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom