Drug-busting blimps take flight over Valley

A Raven Aerostar blimp floats near the Arizona-Mexico border. (Raven Aerostar) A Raven Aerostar blimp floats near the Arizona-Mexico border. (Raven Aerostar) Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Drug-busting blimps take flight over Valley 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Surveillance blimps took flight this week south of Laredo in the border city of Rio Grande Valley.

Border Patrol spokesman Henry Mendiola couldn't say whether the tethered balloon-like devices would ever cross Webb County skies.

"We don't know at this time. The program is brand new and in testing mode. Based on the results of this evaluation, it may be deployed in other areas," Mendiola said.

The Wall Street Journal reported today that the blimps could eventually be used to track drug traffickers.

From the Journal's report:

The helium-filled drones have drifted over military bases throughout Afghanistan and Iraq for years, the Wall Street Journal reported. Often floating some 2,000-feet above above ground, they are equipped with cameras, infrared sensors and other hardware to help keep an eye on militants, insurgents and troops in battle.

Formally called "aerostats," the Department of Defense re-purposed devices contain sensor equipment that officers can use to monitor activities, said Border Patrol spokesman Efrain Perez.

Neither could disclose the type of technology the aerostats incorporated.

"We are hoping that this will help us in our border environment so we can work more efficiently and effectively between the ports of entry," Mendiola said.

The agency plans to evaluate additional equipment in the coming months.

"I want to help CBP get the word out to South Texans that the shapes they may see in the sky during the testing of these aerostats are not only nothing to worry about — but in fact an example of CBP's continued efforts to maximize the use of resources that taxpayers have already paid for," said Rep. Henry Cuellar in a prepared statement.

"During these difficult times of limited budgets, cooperation and coordination between government agencies is especially important, and I thank CBP and DoD for working together."