The Tucson Sector of Arizona Border Patrol posted record seizures of marijuana for fiscal year 2009, but Tombstone still seems to have a steady flow of drugs on its way in.

The 1.2 million pounds of marijuana seized by Tucson Border Patrol last year is the highest amount of marijuana ever seized by any sector in the country, and 48 percent more weight seized than 2008's seizures.

There were also high seizures in other major categories of drugs. Tucson Border Patrol seized 525 pounds of cocaine, 44 pounds of methamphetamines and 137 ounces of heroin – these numbers nearly doubled those from 2008 across the board.

Arizona Border Patrol agents attribute this record number to a variety of improvements in enforcement strategy.

"We have a lot more agents, we've implemented new technology and there's more infrastructure with new roads and lighting," said Tucson Border Patrol Public Information Officer Colleen Agle.

Border Patrol Agent Alex Gomez agrees.

"As new technology continues to be implemented and improvements to border patrol prove effective, it becomes a lot harder for the drug smugglers to succeed," he said.

Efforts to tighten up Arizona's border were fulfilled following reports stating that 65 percent of illicit substances coming into the country were coming through the Arizona border.

At the end of 2009, there were 3,600 Border Patrol agents working in the Tucson sector, 300 more than there were by the end of 2008.

Along with more agents on the ground, the Tucson sector has utilized technology including ground sensors, cameras and mobile surveillance systems, Agle said.

This strategy used by Tucson Border patrol to tighten up the border was similar to that employed by the San Diego Border Patrol in 2008. The hiring of more agents and employing better technology proved effective in Arizona as it did in San Diego.

Agle said that these new strategies and the resulting drug seizures have caused Mexican drug cartels to sweat.

"Absolutely the cartel businesses are feeling the seizures," Agle said. "We know this is happening because of the violence we are seeing against our agents. We had 141 assaults [against agents] in the first three months of fiscal year 2010, compared to 52 in the first three months of fiscal 2009."

"This isn't just violence for the sake of violence; they're frustrated and taking the frustration out on us."

The violence surrounding cross border drug trafficking persists, especially within Mexico where rival cartels are going to war over territory.

"Levels of drug violence in Mexico have escalated over the last few months," Gomez said. "Cartels engage in gun battles with both law enforcement and rival cartels."

Gomez said Border Patrol officers have two clear objectives. "First, to prevent the drug violence in Mexico from spilling over the border, and second, helping President Calderon cut down on the drug violence in Mexico."

Unfortunately, large seizures of marijuana and other drugs aren't necessarily indicative of fewer drugs entering the country, as it is impossible to discern how many drugs are still crossing into the States through the Arizona border.

"We only count what we seize," Agle said.

Tombstone Marshal Larry Talvy says the influx of drugs such as marijuana and methamphetamines has seen neither an increase nor decrease since the record seizures were announced.

"We haven't seen a decline," he said. "Marijuana is a continuous substance we see coming into our community, but meth is our biggest drug around here. It continues to be an issue within the community."

The Tombstone police work with Operation Stonegarden to assist in the monitoring of drugs and contraband across the border.

Operation Stonegarden is a program providing funding to promote cooperation and communication among federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement in efforts to secure the southwest border.

"We've been working closely with Border Patrol," said Talvy, "If they catch subjects that have paraphernalia or drugs, usually we know what their thresholds are and we'll take the case for them. We do share information with each agency and it allows us to catch the culprits as they're coming through town."