AGENTS SAY VIOLENCE IS INCREASING ALONG BORDER

HARLINGEN, Texas -- A weekend shootout on the banks of the Rio Grande is an
example of the increasing violence related to drug and people smuggling
along the Mexican border, U.S. Border Patrol officials said Tuesday.

Two Border Patrol agents escaped unharmed Saturday after machine-gun fire
erupted from across the river in rural Starr County, between McAllen and
Laredo. The agents had just found more than a half-ton of marijuana near
the river bank.

"We've had a few incidences here recently where we've had some acts of
aggression toward our agents, mainly along the river and rural areas,"
Border Patrol spokesman Eddie Flores said. "We're noticing an increase in
violence along the border."

While Flores said he could not be specific, he said agents has reported
other confrontations with smugglers in Starr County and within the McAllen
sector stretching from Brownsville to Falcon Dam. He said more were
anticipated since it's marijuana harvest season.

Saturday's incident occurred in Escobares, a small town east of Roma, at
about 10:30 p.m. Agents patrolling the border said they heard crackling
brush, then noticed a group of people running toward the Rio Grande and
swimming across to Mexico.

The agents found about 12 burlap sacks containing 95 packages of marijuana,
totaling more than a 1,000 pounds. The Border Patrol estimated the street
value for the drugs at $900,000.

The drugs were taken to a Border Patrol station in Rio Grande City. The
agents said they returned about an hour later to where they found the
drugs, heard voices and then what sounded like gunfire coming from Mexico
and from people on rafts in the river, Flores said.

He said the agents returned fire, but not knowing the number of assailants,
decided to retreat. They fled amid gunfire, but were not harmed, Flores said.

Bruce Bagley, professor of International Studies at the University of
Miami, said increased U.S. border surveillance coupled with a worsening
Mexican economy have increased the stakes for smugglers.

"There's big bucks involved now," he said. "As organized crime is becoming
increasingly responsible (for smuggling), these guys have also resorted to
criminal organized crime tactics. We have seen more and more of this
violence, particularly in the last 18 months."

Gloria Chavez, a Border Patrol spokeswoman in Washington, said agents know
that a smuggler or narcotics trafficker will get bold, if necessary, to get
their human cargo or narcotics into the United States.