SAN ANTONIO – Human and drug trafficking take an all too familiar route from the Texas-Mexico border through San Antonio, Bexar County District Attorney Nicholas “Nico” LaHood said.
“Our region is the most populated of the regions, and we handle the corridor when you talk about the pathway,” LaHood said.
LaHood is talking about the regions of the state where the district and county attorney’s offices are joining forces to help law enforcement agencies combat border-related crimes, from human trafficking to organized crime, narcotics, weapons and gangs.
“We are there to advise on the legal aspects of affidavits, search warrants and different legal-related issues to make sure that investigations are done properly and legally and ethically,” LaHood said.
Prosecutors assigned to LaHood's unit will coordinate with prosecutors from over a dozen other district and county attorney’s offices to target criminal enterprises operating in multiple jurisdictions. They'll assist local, state and federal agencies assigned to the Texas anti-gang unit.
LaHood said teamwork is the key to the success of the unit.
“One thing these gangs and cartels have been banking on in the past is that we don’t communicate with each other,” La Hood explained. “That law enforcement does not share resources and information and that prosecutorial does not do the same.”
The local unit will be headed by Anton “Tony” Hackebeil, a former district attorney and will be in full operation in January as part of the statewide border prosecution unit.