PIEDRAS NEGRAS, Coahuila — Five armed Mexican police officers took a wrong turn and crossed into the U.S. creating a scene as authorities on both sides of the border tried to sort out what had gone wrong. The apparent error has since been twisted by Mexican authorities who now claim that they were meeting with U.S. law enforcement.
Breitbart Texas consulted with top a U.S. federal law enforcement official, a state law enforcement official, and with Mexican federal law enforcement officials who all confirmed that there never was a meeting and that the police officers in fact took a wrong turn.
The armed incursion took place this week at the international bridge that connects Eagle Pass with this border city when a group Coahuila State Police Officers known as the GATES took a wrong turn and ended up coming up to the inspection booths on the U.S side of the border.
Traffic was halted at the bridge as U.S. authorities detained the GATES who were later released and allowed to return to Mexico.
Just one day after the incident, the Coahuila government has gone onto claim that the police officers were never detained and that they had gone to Eagle Pass to have a meeting with U.S. law enforcement, Mexican news outlets reported. The claims by the Coahuila government further assert that Mexican law enforcement officials went to a meeting at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) building at the bridge and that some of the GATES left their weapons outside with their colleagues as they went in to the meeting.
Breitbart Texas reached out to CBP who provided a prepared statement that actually contradicts the claims made by the Coahuila government “Five Mexican law enforcement officers were returned to Mexico Wednesday morning after arriving at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry with their service-issued weapons. The Mexican officers, who were going to a meeting with U.S. law enforcement officials, arrived at the port with their service weapons, contrary to U.S. policy.”
CBP further stated that “The officers and their vehicle returned to Mexico, a short time later, without incident. Other than a brief traffic stoppage, there was no impact on the traveling public.”
As reported by Breitbart Texas, the GATEs have been a driving force behind Coahuila’s efforts to regain a semblance of peace after the state had been ruled by Los Zetas drug cartel. While the GATE’s have been effective in suppressing violent activity by Los Zetas, some detractors have accused the group of using heavy handed tactics at times.
The armed incursion by Los GATES comes just weeks after as Breitbart Texas reported, Tamaulipas police officers crossed the Rio Grande into Texas. In that case CBP agents told Breitbart Texas the “accidental” incursion took place near a small island in this border city that lies in the middle of the Rio Grande. However, in order for the incursion to have been “accidental” the Mexican police would have to be unaware they were crossing a river onto the island. It is highly unlikely the armed Mexican police officers were unaware of their entry into the United States.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award winning journalist with Breitbart Texas you can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.