2006年VOA标准英语-U.S. Officials Deal with Drug Smuggling at

By Greg Flakus
Hudspeth County, Texas
17 February 2006
 
watch Mexican Border report 

 
Guarding the Mexican border on horseback
  
There has been tension along the US-Mexico border in recent weeks following alleged¹ incursions by Mexican military units guarding illicit² drug shipments.

As VOA's Greg Flakus reports from the border in Hudspeth County, in far-west Texas, local officials are worried about the potential for violent clashes.

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Hudspeth County's Chief Deputy Sheriff Mike Doyal was among the lawmen who came to the scene of a border drug smuggling³ operation on January 23.

Hudspeth County's Chief Deputy Sheriff Mike Doyal standing⁴ along the Rio Grande River  
  
It happened here, on the Rio Grande River, which forms the boundary between Texas and Mexico.  Chief Deputy Doyal says his men were held at bay on this side of the border by heavily armed men who appeared to be Mexican soldiers.

"There was a military-style Humvee on the Mexican side,” said the deputy sheriff. “One of my first officers on the scene said it had been on this side with two subjects in it, one in the back with a heavy machine gun and one in the front with an assault-type weapon."

 

This vehicle became stuck while trying to cross the border  
  
One of the vehicles the U.S. lawmen had pursued to the border became stuck in the river near the Mexican bank. Armed men unloaded the suspected drug load from the vehicle and then set the vehicle on fire and left the scene.

 
Luis Ernesto Derbez, foreign minister of Mexico 
  
U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Tony Garza demanded an investigation⁵ of the alleged incursion, but Mexico's Foreign Minister, Luis Ernesto Derbez, denied any Mexican troops had been involved. He suggested drug traffickers had been posing as military men. 

That response provided little comfort to U.S. law enforcement officials like Mike Doyal.

"We have always tried to enjoy a good, working cooperative relationship with Mexico and would like to see it continue, but ultimately when it comes to cleaning up what is on the south side of the Texas border, it is up to the Mexican government. We cannot do it for them," said Doyal.

The incident on the river in Hudspeth County drew fire from the group that calls itself The Minutemen, and other groups calling for stricter control of the border. They cited over 200 other cases in which armed men, sometimes dressed in military uniforms, crossed over the border. Some incidents involved violence or threats against U.S. law officers.  

 
Doug Mosier
  
The increased violence concerns the U.S. Border Patrol. El Paso Sector⁶ spokesman Doug Mosier says agents face constant danger.  "We have had agents shot, we have agents physically⁷ assaulted, we have had agents rocked (People on the Mexican side throw rocks at the agents) from time to time."

Mosier says efforts to tighten control of the border after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks have resulted in more criminal gang violence directed at agents on patrol

1 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

2 illicit   

adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。
• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。

3 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

6 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

7 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。