HONOLULU (HSI) — Homeland Security Investigations announced new border initiatives in cooperation with the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands on Feb. 10 and Guam on Feb. 13 to advance border security.
HSI Assistant Director Jerry Templet, HSI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge John F. Tobon, CNMI Lt. Gov. David Apatang, and Guam Lt. Gov. Joshua Tenorio of Guam made the announcement.
“Criminal organizations no longer have access to these strategic stopping points in their bid to avoid capture in furthering their criminal enterprise,” said HSI Assistant Director Jerry Templet. “The strong partnerships with local partners will enable through this task force to investigate scofflaws and prosecute those who seek to harm our communities.”
“The HSI special agents assigned to the BEST teams in both the CMNI and Guam are now better positioned to bring their training, expertise and unique law enforcement authorities with them in this partnership,” said HSI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge John F. Tobon. “We anticipate increased efficiencies and more effectiveness of our investigative capabilities in deterring transnational crime.”
The CNMI and Guam are geographically isolated in the Pacific Ocean and nearly all available goods arrive by sea and air. Based on the Mariana Islands’ proximity to Asia, both the CNMI and Guam are used by Transnational Criminal Organizations as transit points for illegal activities.
TCO members are involved in many criminal activities, including murder, narcotics and weapons trafficking and human smuggling. To combat this, HSI uses its unique immigration and customs legal authorities to protect the United States from all illegal activity with a border nexus.
The task force will address the vulnerabilities and threats posed by TCOs and advance border security at transportation and port facilities by enhancing investigations and assisting to dismantle organizations who exploit global commerce and infrastructure, primarily via the imported and exported commodities and cargo processed through our seaports and airports.
The strong network of law enforcement partners’ unique law enforcement authorities, increased intelligence sharing, and focused collaboration to further develop multi-jurisdictional cases. BEST will be staffed by personnel from HSI, U.S. Coast Guard, U. S. Customs and Border Protection, and Task Force Officers from Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, Guam Police Department, Guam Airport Police, CNMI Customs and Quarantine and CNMI Department of Public Safety.
In 2012, the Jaime Zapata BEST Act or Public Law 112-205 was signed into law. The law was named in memory of Jaime Zapata, an ICE HSI Special Agent assigned to the task force and was murdered Feb. 15, 2011, while on duty in Mexico. This law amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to formally establish the BEST program within DHS and authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to direct the assignment of federal personnel to BEST, as well as take other actions to aid federal, state, local, tribal, and international law enforcement agencies participating in BEST, including providing financial assistance, as appropriate, for operational, administrative and technical costs associated with their participation in BEST.
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.
Acting Gov. David M. Apatang, fourth left, Acting Finance Secretary Tracy B. Norita, center, and Customs and Biosecurity Director Jose Mafnas, fourth right, pose for a photo with Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Director Jerry Templet Jr., fifth left, Honolulu Special Agent In Charge John F. Tobon, third left, HSI Marianas Special Agent In Charge John Duenas, second left, HSI CNMI Resident Agent In Charge, Mark Yamanaka, third right, Department of Public Safety Assistant Chief of Police Lawrence Camacho, right, Customs Branch Manager Marvin Sablan, second right, and Special Assistant to the Lieutenant Governor Henry S. Hofschneider, left, after the meeting on Friday in the governor’s conference room.
