LAREDO, Texas – The City of Laredo is a high-traffic area for international crime and illegal border crossings. In recent months, Task Force Center, located in Laredo has experienced a significant uptick in criminal smuggling of illegal aliens and drugs. This increase leads to more vehicle and foot chases involving local and state law enforcement officials, often aided by Texas National Guard partners.

“The Soldiers of Task Force Center are flexible and highly motivated for mission success,” said 1st Sgt. Nate Warfield. “We will continue to prevent, deter, and interdict transnational criminal activity along Texas Mexico border with our law enforcement partners.”

In Laredo, Guardsmen use advanced night vision equipment to patrol known human and drug smuggling routes. Local and state law enforcement can directly communicate with the Guard to synchronize efforts to interdict the criminal activity. Unmanned aerial vehicles and other aviation assets provide all partner agencies with the bird’s eye information needed to safety and effectively conduct operations. Employing those skills and equipment has led to more than 210,000 apprehensions and referrals to law enforcement.

The partnership with law enforcement grows stronger with every apprehension in Laredo and across the entire border. Joint Task Force Lone Star will continue to hold the line against criminal activity and illegal border crossings to ensure Texans’ backyards are safe.