CCSO assists in bomb threat at port

In the span of 12 hours late Saturday, early Sunday the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office assisted other law enforcement agencies in two different incidents one of which was a bomb threat at the Douglas Port of Entry.

According to Carol Capas of the CCSO, on Saturday February 16 at approximately 5:15 p.m., the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office was advised that a Border Patrol agent had a vehicle stopped on Highway 191 and East Justin Street in Sunsites with two occupants inside.

Capas said the Border Patrol advised that the 1988 Oldsmobile was reported stolen and they requested back-up assistance until Department of Public Safety units could arrive.

Upon arrival the DPS Officer conducted a wants and warrants check on the female driver and male passenger.

As the results were being received, the male subject fled the scene on foot causing law enforcement officers to pursue him.

Additional Sheriff’s Deputies arrived in the area to help with the search along with DPS canine units, U.S. Border Patrol Units and a fixed wing aircraft also from Border Patrol.

The subject was not located and the search was suspended from the Sheriff’s Office around 1:30 a.m. Sunday.

Capas said Border Patrol units remained in the area tracking the subject throughout the night.

Around 2:18 a.m. Sunday the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by the Douglas Port of Entry to assist with a possible bomb that was heading their way.

Capas said port officials advised that they had received a call from an anonymous female stating that a vehicle would be traveling northbound into the United States through the port and it had a bomb under the back seat.

Port Administrators advised that the information they received appeared to be credible and they requested assistance from the Sheriff’s Office Bomb technician.

The Sheriff’s Office bomb tech responded to the area and also requested assistance from the Pima County bomb squad.

After arriving at the Port of Entry the staff advised that a 2005 Nissan Altima was coming northbound through the port being occupied by a male and female along with their children.

Port officials stopped the vehicle and closed the north and southbound lanes until the vehicle could be checked and cleared of any explosive device.

Bomb technicians checked the entire vehicle and were unable to locate anything suspicious.

The call was cleared and the port reopened at approximately 4:20 a.m.