It Begins… Mexican Drug Cartel Openly Threatens Arizona Police Force (Video)

Posted by Jim Hoft on Tuesday, June 22, 2010, 5:43 AM

The Mexican drug cartel warned Arizona police officers this week to look the other way when they are off duty or face sniper fire.
These foreign criminals are now openly threatening our law enforcement officers here in America.

The Sierra Vista Herald reported, via Free Republic:

A Mexican drug cartel has threatened Nogales police officers, saying they will be targeted for retribution if they conduct off-duty busts.

Nogales Police Chief Jeffrey Kirkham told the Nogales International late last week that the threats stemmed from an incident approximately two weeks ago, when off-duty officers surprised marijuana smugglers while riding horseback in an unincorporated border area east of town. The officers seized part of the drug load, and the smugglers were able to flee back into Mexico with the other part.

“As a result of that,” Kirkham said, “our officers have received threats from the cartel that they are to look the other way if they are off duty, or they will be targeted by a sniper or by other means.”

NPD learned of the threats through informants, he said.

Following the threats, Kirkham said, NPD notified the Border Patrol and other federal law enforcement agencies, which responded by stepping up manpower and surveillance in the area where the off-duty bust occurred. In addition, Kirkham met with his officers to advise them of the threats and to authorize them to take precautions, including wearing firearms while off duty.

“The Nogales Police Department will not be intimidated,” he said.

Kirkham said the threats highlighted the need for more federal law enforcement at the border. “This has nothing to do with SB 1070 or illegal immigration,” he said, “it has to do with narco-trafficking and the violence of the cartels.”