Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
Associated PressAgriculture officers also regularly uncover illegal drugs, stolen goods and unpaid taxes.
LIVE OAK - Inspection stations set up to protect fruit, vegetables and livestock are turning up drugs, stolen goods and illegal aliens - particularly since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Over the last three months in this small North Florida town, state Department of Agriculture officers have found millions of dollars' worth of cocaine and marijuana, 60 stolen widescreen TVs, $157,000 in stolen computer parts and $500,000 in stolen medicine.
The station, like 21 others around the state, is primarily responsible for checking agriculture products coming in and out of the state for pests and disease. But they're proving to be valuable in a number of other ways as they stop a million trucks a month.
"Since 9/11 we're more alert with homeland security," said Lt. Ronny Howard, who supervises the Like Oak inspection station. "Just like any other agency, our officers are alert to be on the lookout for things that raise their suspicion and we check those things out."
Steve Lauer, head of the state's domestic security program, said the stations have become an important part of the state's overall security plan.
All trucks and trailers passing by the stations must stop, except those belonging to trucking companies that never haul produce or livestock and that have made prior arrangements with the department. Every 20th truck is automatically stopped and searched.
Officers also will inspect other trucks that raise suspicions. Their attention may be caught by problems with a required list that describes truckers' loads or peculiarities such as a driver saying he has an empty truck when his refrigeration unit is running.
"We might catch a big load of drugs or stolen TVs, but there's no way you can catch all the stuff. There's a lot of stuff that's still passing by us, just like you can't catch every speeder that runs up and down the road," Howard said.
Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson said the Live Oak station is a "lightning rod" for finding illegal goods, largely because it's the first station on Interstate 10 for trucks coming in from the west.
Bronson has given the stations more tools since Sept. 11, adding eight dog teams, a new training officer and four gamma ray trucks that allow inspectors to look through the sides of other vehicles like an X-ray.
In addition, officers also check to make sure taxes have been paid on truckers' loads and have helped the Department of Revenue collect $100-million in unpaid taxes over the past eight years.
The cost to run the stations is half the amount it helps collect in unpaid taxes, said agriculture spokesman Terence McElroy. The department will be adding a 23rd station near Pensacola next year.