CBP Announces Expanded Operations Targeting Transnational Criminal Organizations

EL PASO, TX – U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently provided an update on its ongoing enforcement efforts against transnational criminal organizations and announced new efforts to expand enforcement activities against these organizations.  

Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner Troy A. Miller announced the expansion of Operation Plaza Spike to the El Paso and Juarez region, as well as a new counter-fentanyl surge operation — called Apollo X — to bring the full force of CBP across the southwest border, from El Paso to San Diego. 

In making the announcement at the Bridge of the Americas in El Paso, Mr. Miller was joined by the local CBP leadership team: Chief Patrol Agent Scott Good, Director of Field Operations Hector Mancha, and Air and Marine Operations Branch Director Efren Gonzalez, further demonstrating the “all-of-CBP" approach in the fight against fentanyl.

“These ruthless criminal organizations peddle chaos and profit from human suffering. They traffic illicit drugs into our country that make their way into our communities. They exploit vulnerable migrants, leaving them for dead in the unforgiving desert. And they cause cross-border violence that puts border communities – and our law enforcement personnel – at risk. They are sophisticated, innovative, and relentless. But so are the men and women of Customs and Border Protection,” said Troy A. Miller, CBP Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner. “We are continually enhancing how — and where — we combat this issue. These enhanced enforcement efforts leverage CBP’s position on the frontline against fentanyl and are just the latest in our efforts to disrupt criminal supply networks and keep fentanyl out of our nation’s communities – alongside partners at the federal, state, and local level.”

Operation Plaza Spike targets the plaza bosses and cartels that facilitate the flow of deadly fentanyl as well as its analogs, precursors, and tools to make dangerous drugs. It is designed to disrupt operations in the “plazas,” cartel territories located directly south of the United States that are natural logistical chokepoints within the cartels’ operations.

To do so, Operation Plaza Spike employs multiple tactics, including seizing illicit proceeds and scrutinizing related cross-border business entities and cross-border trade. Plaza bosses control and profit from all illicit activity through the plazas – including extortion, kidnapping, and the smuggling of humans, dangerous drugs, and firearms. CBP is leveraging partnerships, authorities, and resources of other government agencies in our efforts to gather intelligence, disrupt and degrade illicit operations, and deliver legal consequences. 

Apollo X is the new southwest border-wide surge operation that will bring the full suite of resources and personnel from across CBP to bear. The agency will use actionable intelligence to not only find and seize fentanyl, but also uncover the supply chains to determine where the contraband is coming from and where it’s headed. The information will be shared with CBP’s state and local partners in an effort to find and stop the TCO networks. 

While in El Paso, Mr. Miller convened a meeting of with law enforcement partners to discuss enhanced collaboration. “We’re working closely with our federal, state, and local partners – along the southwest border and now specifically in El Paso. We are using all of our collective intelligence and operational capabilities to focus pressure and disruption operations on these TCOs,” said Miller. “These partnerships are critical in all of our enforcement efforts. CBP is proud to lead the federal government’s efforts in the fight against fentanyl. We bring our unique position and authorities — and we are even more impactful when working together.”

These operations are just the latest in CBP’s efforts to stem the flow of illicit opioids, including fentanyl, and cracking down on the TCOs that traffic them. As the nation's border security agency, CBP is on the frontline against the TCOs that threaten this nation and the health and safety of its citizens. CBP continues to leverage enhanced intelligence analysis and information sharing with our federal, state and local, and foreign partners – all of which are showing results. In addition, CBP is going after the TCOs and supply chains responsible for bringing illicit drugs, weapons, and people across our border. By targeting them, CBP can directly impact their criminal operations and disrupt their ability to traffic people, weapons, and illicit substances.

In speaking directly to the threat posed by TCOs, Miller added, “Let me be very clear: if you are making or moving fentanyl across our borders if you are responsible for smuggling and exploiting people, and if you are profiting from the suffering of others, we know who you are and we are bringing the full force of the federal government to shut you down.”

Watch the press conference and read the remarks from the Senior Official Performing the Duties of Commissioner Troy A. Miller.