SAN ANTONIO — A joint effort between the United States and Mexico aims to track down wanted criminals on both sides of the border, and law enforcement needs your help to find these fugitives.
The Del Rio Sector of U.S. Border Patrol and officials from Mexico met in Eagle Pass on Tuesday to unveil the new “Se Busca Información” campaign.
Robert Danley, the chief patrol agent of the Del Rio sector, had a stern warning for criminal organizations operating in Mexico and the United States.
"We're coming after you,” Danley said. “We’re gonna get you.”
The joint effort focuses on eight wanted criminals who officials said are connected to Mexican drug cartels.
“We have to throttle down and we're really trying to get after those that want to do bad,” he said.
Officials said the eight fugitives were chosen for the crackdown campaign by leaders on both sides of the border.
The fugitives, not listed by name, are each wanted for a long list of crimes, including human smuggling, kidnapping, drug trafficking and murder.
“These are some of the worst of the worst,” Danley said.
The challenge now begins to hunt down the repeat offenders, but Danley said authorities don’t even know where to start looking.
“They could be here in the United States. They could be in Mexico. They can be in other locations,” Danley said. “The fact that we haven't easily take them into custody makes me question where they're specifically at on any given moment.”
That’s why officials created “Se Busca Información” to combat the challenge in finding these fugtives who have been able to evade law enforcement.
The campaign launched in 2016, and Danley said the two previous “Se Busca” campaigns have brought in solid leads that helped authorities track down the wanted criminals.
The new fugitive list announced Tuesday includes eight men wanted for crimes happening in the U.S. and Mexico, and are a constant threat to border communities and beyond, according to officials.
“There are people on the streets right now that live around these folks or see suspicious activity. And, by using this campaign, we're allowing a way for them to reach out to us directly,” said Danley.
Danley said all tips received will remain confidential and anonymous.
“We know that it's not necessarily safe for people to openly come and give us information. They don't want to be seen talking to us. I completely understand that,” said Danley. “We want to protect their safety, but we do need that information that they may have.”
The photos of the eight wanted men will be placed at Border Patrol checkpoints and stations, and at Ports of Entry across the Del Rio Sector.
In Mexico, Danley said the photos will be placed on bulletins, billboards, and posters across the state of Coahuila.
“Transnational criminal organizations have no regard for human life,” said Chief Patrol Agent Robert Danley of the Del Rio Sector. “Through this initiative, citizens on both sides of the border provide us information that allows us to make our communities safer.”
Anyone who can provide a tip is asked to report the information to law enforcement by using WhatsApp and call or text the tip to (830) 313-4557.
The information is sent immediately to the “Se Busca Información” intelligence center that’s open 24 hours a day.
“It can be very small bits of information that’s going to help us move these cases,” said Danley.
All tips will remain anonymous.