Texas DPS Seizes Cartel Island Refuge on Rio Grande

Texas Military & Department of Public Safety (DPS) boats on the Rio Grande, May 18, 2022Photo byTexas Military Department

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has been flexing its muscle on the Rio Grande ever since the "Operation Lone Star" border security mission began. Now they are taking over an island in the middle of the river that's been a hotbed of smuggling activity for the Mexican cartels.

CDN (Cartel del Noreste) member - armed & wearing tactical gear - on Fronton Island (June, 2023)Photo byTexas Department of Public Safety

DPS Surveillance cameras have captured images of armed CDN (Cartel del Noreste) members on the 170-acre Fronton Island in the Rio Grande in Starr County for some time.

Map of Fronton Island - used by the Northeast Cartel (CDN) as a Rio Grande hiding and staging area for smuggling operations in Starr County.Photo byTexas General Land Office

The island - covered in heavy vegetation - is a perfect hiding place and staging area for cartel smuggling operations. Or it least it was - until the Texas General Land Office determined it to be state land - and granted the DPS law-enforcement jurisdiction over it.

Automatic weapon dropped by cartel member when Border Patrol agents interrupted a gunrunning operation on Fronton Island (August, 2023)Photo byU.S. Border Patrol

Border Patrol Agents recovered automatic weapons and ammo on Fronton Island in August when they interrupted a cartel gunrunning operation there.

DPS surveillance photo of suspected armed cartel operatives on Fronton Island (August 2023)Photo byTexas Department of Public Safety

DPS surveillance cameras have captured images of armed men suspected of being cartel operatives moving through the thick vegetation on the island. The cartels have made use of the Carrizo Cane to hide from law enforcement officers, but at least one joint DPS/Texas Military/Border Patrol operation did result in arrests in June.

But today, the State of Texas moved in with force to reclaim control of the island from the cartels:

According to a post by Governor Greg Abbott on x.com (Twitter) one of the first things the state did was to literally plant the Texas flag on Fronton Island to make it plainly clear who was in charge:

"This is OUR land. We've taken control of it away from transnational criminal organizations that were using it to facilitate illegal immigration & drug smuggling. Thanks to @TxDPS & @TexasGuard. Plant the Texas flag." -Texas Governor Greg Abbott on x.com (Twitter)

Incidentally, today's operation wasn't a "one-off." Texas Land Commissioner Dr. Dawn Buckingham has also declared two smaller islands (totalling more than 45 acres) on the Rio Grande in Maverick County near Eagle Pass to be Texas State Property which gives the DPS law enforcement authority there.

What are your thoughts about today's operation by the State of Texas on the Rio Grande?

Share your opinions in the comments to this article.

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Other stories by Jack Beavers about Texas Border issues include:

• Migrants Plant Foreign Flag on Texas Soil
• U.S. Soldiers vs. Mexican Cartels? Support for Military Action Grows
• Cartels Shot Texans in Mexico by "Mistake"

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