Pilot illegally lands at Winthrop airport, leads air chase to Canada
Nov 26, 2019, 11:26 AM
President Trump announced plans for a mass round-up of illegal immigrants. (Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images)
A man has been jailed after he touched off an international incident by landing his small plane at the Methow Valley Airport in Winthrop, Washington without permission.
When Customs and Border Protection agents approached him last Wednesday, he jumped back into his plane and took off.
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During the flight, authorities say he threw some bags into the wilderness. Government pilots in helicopters trailed him to the Canadian border and then got permission to follow him into Canada. The plane landed at the Langley, British Columbia Airport where he was arrested.
“Due to the exceptional skills of our pilots and air interdiction agents, we were able to ensure that this man did not escape arrest,” said Jeremy Thompson, Director, Bellingham Air and Marine Branch. “Additionally, our partnerships and coordination with Canadian law enforcement agencies played a crucial role in the arrest of this man.”
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Police aren’t saying what he threw out of the plane but a press release points out that in the past year, border patrol has seized nearly 85,000 pounds of cocaine, 100,000 pounds of pot, 935 weapons, 50,000 pounds of meth, and $34 million.
