ROBSTOWN, Texas — The Nueces County District Attorney's Criminal Interdiction Unit has a few new partners to help combat drug and gun smuggling through the county.
Those partnering agencies now include the Robstown and Bishop police departments, as well as Constable precincts 3 and 5.
District Attorney Mark Gonzalez made it official Tuesday as the heads of each agency signed the agreement. The memorandum of understanding allows each agency to help each other when called on. It also expands their jurisdictional authority.
In return, the agencies will be able to take advantage of seized cash.
The Bishop Police Department has been part of the partnership for a few months now and it's already paid off.
"Our agency has been involved in asset forfeiture of over $300,000 in currency, and hundreds of pounds of illegal narcotics, multiple vehicles with false compartments," Bishop Police Chief Edward Day said. "Our officers have gotten a vast amount of experience in a short amount of time."
"It's very important we get the message out throughout Nueces and all the viewing area that we are out there and watching, and it used to be a few of us and now there is a lot of us, and it will continue to grow," Gonzalez said.
The Criminal Interdiction Unit is also expected to gain a federal partner in the near future.
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