Arizona AG Mayes Calls Anti-Cartel Drone Bill 'Important Tool' in Fighting Fentanyl

Arizona Attorney General (AG) Kris Mayes discussed House Bill 2733, the bill authorizing Arizona law enforcement to shoot down drones used by the Mexican drug cartels, in a recent appearance on Fox News, calling it "an important tool" in fighting the cartels, as the Grand Canyon State is the "epicenter of this terrible fentanyl crisis."

Anchor John Roberts expressed surprise at the cartels' use of drones for its criminal activity, which AG Mayes affirmed, saying, "The Mexican drug cartels are using drones to transport fentanyl across our southern border, and sometimes these drones have been seen as far north as 75 miles inside the state of Arizona, and that is just unacceptable."

HB2733 is, therefore, bipartisan, as Mayes, a Democrat, spoke in favor of it in a recent press conference with the bill's sponsor, State Representative David Marshall (R-7).

Roberts noted that the bill initially authorized the shooting of drones up to 30 miles from Arizona's Mexican border and provides immunity from prosecution if law enforcement accidentally shoots down drones for civilian and recreational use.

However, Mayes said HB2733 is nonetheless "an important tool" for law enforcement as "more than half of all the fentanyl seized in the United States was actually seized in Arizona over the last two years. We are at the epicenter of this terrible fentanyl crisis, and so by allowing our local law enforcement officials, including our sheriffs, our police chiefs, and police along the border, to shoot these drones down, you know that those are lives saved."

After all, Mayes noted, the drones are not just dropping fentanyl but surveilling law enforcement.

The conversation shifted to President Donald Trump's crackdowns on illegal immigration, where Roberts noted that border crossings have plummeted by 90% since the President took office, asking Mayes how Arizona is reacting to the dramatic change.

"Arizonans wanted to see and do want to see border security, and I think there is a lot more, actually, that can be done to secure our border," Mayes replied, adding, "One of the things I that I want the Trump Administration to do that they have not done yet is to send us more Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agents so that we can really go after and prosecute the Mexican drug cartels, but obviously getting the numbers down is important, but we need more boots on the ground."