Sean McGoffin, Border Patrol Chief for Tucson, Arizona, said that Mexican law enforcement dismantled a stash house near Altar, Sonora, after receiving information from the Three Points Border Patrol International Liaison Unit.
“Binational Collaboration Leads to Stash House Takedown South of the border,” said Sean Mcgoffin. “Outstanding work by our Three Points Border Patrol International Liaison Unit (ILU)! On October 18th, their crucial targeting information led Mexican law enforcement to dismantle an active stash house near Altar, Sonora, used by organized crime and human smugglers. Mexican officials located four Guatemalan nationals and seized a loaded pistol, disrupting a key link in illegal smuggling operations. This is a powerful example of binational law enforcement cooperation in action! Thank you, Three Points ILU, for your dedication to border security!”
According to McGoffin, the Tucson Sector’s International Liaison Unit collaborates directly with Mexican counterparts to disrupt smuggling networks operating south of the U.S.–Mexico border. Intelligence from the Three Points station led Mexican law enforcement to an active stash house near Altar, Sonora, where officials found four Guatemalan nationals and seized a loaded pistol. This operation highlights how binational coordination can target organized crime infrastructure before it reaches Arizona’s 262 miles of border.
The Tucson Sector, covering most of Arizona’s border with Mexico, is one of the busiest areas for U.S. Border Patrol. Recent data from Customs and Border Protection shows the sector recorded more than 370,000 encounters in a single fiscal year—the highest total of any sector—as traffic shifted away from some Texas corridors. The high volume reflects rugged terrain and remote stretches exploited by smugglers, necessitating heavy reliance on technology, liaison units, and coordinated enforcement to interdict illegal crossings and associated criminal activity.
Nationwide migrant encounters along the U.S.–Mexico border have fluctuated sharply in recent years. Federal data analyzed by independent researchers indicates that Border Patrol reported around 2 million unauthorized crossings between ports of entry in fiscal 2023. This was followed by a steep decline in monthly encounters in 2024 as enforcement measures and consequences were emphasized. These trends provide broader context for local operations in Arizona, where binational enforcement actions are one tool among many aimed at disrupting smuggling organizations and deterring illegal entries.
McGoffin serves as Chief Patrol Agent for the U.S. Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector—one of the largest and most challenging areas on the Southwest border. He began his career in this sector in 1996 and has since led multiple sectors including Havre on the northern border and Big Bend and Yuma on the Southwest frontier before returning to head Tucson. The Tucson Sector covers about 262 miles of the Arizona–Mexico border and employs thousands of agents tasked with countering smuggling, interdicting illegal crossings, and rescuing migrants in harsh desert conditions—reflecting U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s mission to safeguard America’s borders.
