Native Americans track down drugs

The trackers netted a ton of drugs in three days

By the BBC's Rob Watson in Arizona

To most people one bit of the vast desert lands of southern Arizona looks exactly the same as any other.

But not to Native American trackers Marvin Eleando and Gary Ortega.

"We know what is supposed to be out here and what's not supposed to out here. It's just like your backyard. If anything is moved or taken, you would know," Mr Eleando said.

They're the best I've ever seen in 30 years on the border.

Steve Parker, US Customs

Using ancient skills passed on from generation to generation of Tahono O'ohdam Indians, the trackers search for signs of Mexican drug smugglers.

The smugglers are clever, hiding their tracks by putting carpet on their shoes, but the trackers see through it.

The sun helps them. They can see the tell-tale reflections from the tracks of drug smugglers, Mr Eleando said.

War on drugs

The trackers see themselves as serving on a remote but vital battlefield of the war on drugs.

"A lot of this stuff goes to large cities - LA, Chicago, New York, just to name a few. It's nice to know we're out here on the front lines even before it gets into our streets and our kids," Mr Ortega said.

They use methods passed down from their ancestors

Traditional methods have certainly proved effective. Despite its small size - the unit has only 19 members - and the vast, hot and difficult terrain, it is the most successful in the country.

In just three days of tracking, they confiscated almost a ton of marijuana, but as successful as they are, their catch is merely the tip of a narcotic iceberg.

That's less than a third of the amount got through, one tracker said.

Patriotic duty

But despite that, the US customs is proud of its only all Native American unit.

"They bring two special skills to this. One is a heritage of tracking. They're the best I've ever seen in 30 years on the border," said Steve Parker of the US Customs.

"And also, since they view this as a sovereign nation, they bring a patriotic duty to it that increases their enthusiasm during the long hard hours and the extremes of weather," he added.

As they drive through the land their ancestors have lived on for generations, the trackers see nothing odd in using such ancient techniques to tackle such a modern problem.

All that matters is that it works.