Four Wilmington officers earn customs specification

Four Wilmington police officers will be able to enforce customs laws under a new partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the police department announced Thursday.

The police officers will join an ICE task force operation targeting human and drug smuggling, money laundering, trafficking and other fraud-related activities.

"We're not targeting work sites," said Chief Ralph Evangelous on Thursday. "We're targeting criminal activities."

The new training will allow those officers to check various databases and intercept mail.

The main focus for Wilmington police will be to target those people who are involved in identity theft and selling identities to undocumented immigrants, Evangelous said.

Through investigations, they'll also be able to charge people federally so they receive stiffer penalties, he said.

There are 183 officers in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina who have been cross-designated as customs agents, said Barbara Gonzalez, an immigration spokeswoman.

"This is another tool they'll be able to use to identify criminals," she said of the partnership.

Additionally, Wilmington police and immigration agents will share any assets seized through investigations, she said.

"These monies can be shared with the Wilmington Police Department and can serve as additional resources to combat crime," she said.

"Together we can utilize our combined resources to target people committing crimes in Wilmington and are posing a threat to the community," Gonzalez said.

Veronica Gonzalez: 343-2008

veronica.gonzalez@starnewsonline.com