Mexico is denying its military has been making incursions into the United States, blaming drug smugglers dressed as commandos for the sightings. The denial came after U.S. Border Patrol agents in Tucson were advised in a memo of increased sightings of heavily armed Mexican military units on the U.S. side of the border. Border Patrol spokesman Salvador Zamora confirmed to the Washington Times a "military incursion" warning was given to Tucson agents, but said it was designed to inform them how to react to any sightings of military and foreign police in this country and how to properly document any incursion. But in Washington, Rafael Laveaga, spokesman for the Mexican Embassy, said the sightings were not of genuine military forces. "I strongly deny any incursions by the Mexican military as inaccurate allegations," Laveaga said. Laveaga said drug smugglers headed "both north and south" wear uniforms and drive military-type vehicles, and might have "confused" U.S. authorities. A Department of Homeland Security said a total of 216 incursions by suspected Mexican military units have been documented since 1996 -- 75 in California, 63 in Arizona and 78 in Texas, the report said. © Copyright 2006 by United Press International

---

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)

---