Jon Johnson File Photo/Gila Herald: The Pima Police Department dealt with two UDA bailouts over the weekend.
By Jon Johnson
“There’s no cartel down in Pima.”
Pima Police Chief Diane Cauthen
PIMA – While the social media world of the Gila Valley Moms may be abuzz with two separate incidents that occurred in Pima over the weekend, to police and reporters it is the same story yet again.
No, the cartel isn’t invading to snatch up your children into sex slavery, but they do recruit young people with big cash incentives to drive a few undocumented immigrants (mostly farmworkers according to authorities) from Douglas to Phoenix. The problem is, they have been utilizing Highways 191 and 70 to get there and to do so they go through Graham County. Despite rumors on social media, Pima Police Chief Diane Cauthen said the UDAs that have been pursued have been run-of-the-mill and are not involved with the cartel.
“Are there bad people in there? Absolutely, but I think we’ve been fortunate. It’s getting scary that they’re running more and I can understand why the moms are so worried about it, but there’s no cartel down in Pima . . . I don’t know how they got the cartel from our UDA stops. It happens weekly if you look at the (reports).”
Friday night a load of six UDAs bailed out near Mike’s Grill after an officer initiated a traffic stop. In that case, at least two of the UDAs were apprehended and four were at large.
And on Sunday night a Pima reserve officer initiated a traffic stop on a car that was hauling six UDAs who then fled on foot. A large police presence then searched for the suspects and apprehended five of them.
Pretty much every week there will be at least one if not multiple calls regarding a carload of undocumented immigrants fleeing from police. Recently, however, instead of bailing out in the cotton fields or deserts away from the population centers, drivers have been stopping in town and trying to hide there. That is what gives Pima Police Chief Diane Cauthen cause for concern and to issue a warning to citizens to lock their doors.
“Before, they were getting outside of town before they ran but now – I can understand why they do it – there’s more to hide here. You get into people’s backyards and stuff.”
While Cauthen said the immigrants coming are mostly farmworkers and are not involved with the cartel, it still would be wise for residents to protect their property due to an increase in stops.
“It’s just a matter of time before one of them goes into a house or something . . . People need to start locking their doors just to be safe. I understand it’s a beautiful time of year and they’re trying to catch that breeze that goes through but, yeah, they need to lock their doors.”
