Salem-News Photojournalist with Army Task Force 7 in Mexico threatened with arrest by U.S. Border Patrol

Mr. Plumlee has provided, “sensitive, detailed” information for this article.

(COLUMBUS, N.M.) - Over 40,000 civilians have been killed in the drug cartel wars in Mexico. There’s little likelihood that the killings will stop anytime soon. Despite the intervention of the Mexican Army and Marines, the killings, terror attacks and mutilations of humans continue and human rights groups, worldwide, do not seem to care..

The simple truth is that there are lots of military weapons in the hands of the six cartels and too much money to be made selling drugs and guns obtained from the US side of the border. The 2,000 miles of the Mexico-U.S. border is too big to totally prevent the cartels from smuggling guns and drugs into the United States without revamping our total security apparatus.

In January, 2009, a military operative from Ft Bliss, Texas, attached to the Pentagon contacted me in reference to a covert operation they were involved with. I am a former CIA contract pilot and asset. (documented) I am currently a photojournalist for Salem-News.com working out of New Mexico on the Border War.

This military contact and friend asked for my help in establishing media coverage of a deteriorating situation, which they were involved with. I, after some hesitation, agreed to become active with them in a civilian capacity and document their movements and activities, while operating in Mexico in conjunction with Mexico’s army and Marines. As a result of this agreement, a complicated three-year odyssey was initiated.

The newly formed 2009 task force, who at the time were operating out of Ft. Bliss, Texas; had information they believed should be given to the U.S. media because-- in their opinion, their field reports were not being properly acted upon and they felt their information was being tampered with at the highest levels in Washington.

The apparent incompetence and lack of secrecy in Washington was causing them severe hardship and could possible be responsible for lives being lost. Most of the undercover team felt they were being set up and the cartels were being informed of their activities and locations inside Mexico.

I had previously obtained reports from various “sensitive” sources, which indicate that weapon caches currently being found in Mexico were not the type of weapons sold in mom and pop gun stores here in the U.S.

The reports, from many sources inside Mexico and from gun shops here in the United States, indicated that not only small arms like AK-47’s, M-16’s, and a few old grenades were being found, but also very sophisticated weapons, like Anti Aircraft guns, Law anti-tank weapons, stinger missiles, M-67 grenades, night vision goggles, and tons of “fake” Mexican uniforms were being staged at various locations in Mexico for future use.

At this point, I would like to make reference to an article that my friend Bill Conroy of Narco News wrote back in June of 2009. The article titled "U.S. Special Ops has Troops Deployed in Mexico" created a firestorm in Mexico and the US State Department. This was hotly contested by the Mexican Embassy and letters were sent to Salem News and Narco News. Another article-- more recent, published this year, titled; "Leaked Briefing memo confirmed that US troops were operating in Mexico".

At that time, Conroy reported on a U.S. government briefing, confirming the presence of U.S. forces operating in Mexico. According to Conroy’s article, he confirmed statements made by me to the media some months earlier, about US government troops being deployed by the Pentagon operating inside Mexico. This operation was reported as being a top secret, classified covert operation working out of Ft Bliss Texas.

According to Conroy’s article, and the information obtained in the article, and the revelations found in the briefing material are extremely important because, to date, neither the Pentagon nor the State Department has confirmed that U.S. special forces have been deployed inside Mexico. This has become a politically volatile subject in Mexico and Latin American.

The Task Force’s mission was originally designed to be limited in scope. The training and Intel gathering techniques, which the American military had developed, would be shared and employed in their joint field tactics, and too, their Intel gathering programs would be modified. However, over time-- and the escalation of the cartel wars in and around Juarez Mexico-- the American team was eventuality drawn into occasional direct contact with the cartels and a few limited firefights with various cartel members were initiated.

The situation is dire; Northern Mexico is a very dangerous place. The deployment of Task Force 7, as it is known in some circles, was not coordinated with various elements of the Mexican government and this led to a political firestorm within the Caldron government and the U.S. State Department. It appears the State Department wants to avoid media coverage and a secret-off the record campaign was launched by State to plug all leaks concerning, U.S. Boots on the Ground, operating covertly inside Mexico.

Sensitive sources have stated to me this program was initiated by State because of the deteriorating political atmosphere between Mexico and the United States. The information that the task force was obtaining from these operations in Mexico and being forwarded to proper agencies in their field reports, was not being acting on by State and other Federal agencies, according to various unnamed sources.

Pressure was put on the task force by Justice and State, advising them to write reports more in line with official administration policy, "so we do not upset Mexico anymore than they are already upset."

According to information I have recently received, from reliable sources in law enforcement, various dispatches from agencies have been sent to key law enforcement departments, which appear to want me out of the picture. I have been told the Justice Dept. plans to investigate me for allegedly "border jumping", illegal entry into the United States.

The latest news from the Task Force is that the FBI wants to talk to me as soon as possible. A meeting with Federal agencies, as well as the FBI has been set, for the first week in July... Stay tuned.

Robert 'Tosh' Plumlee is a retired commercial pilot who worked for and with the United States Government for many years. His background is extremely diverse and over the years Tosh was involved in many government operations that are both fascinating and historic. His work began with an enlistment in the Army and a subsequent assignment to military specialized operations at Fort Bliss, Texas in April of 1954. Tosh was associated with various Military Intelligence units of the Fourth Army based at Fort Bliss, Texas, and also the Fourth Army Reserve, located at Dallas Love Field, Dallas Texas. This service period was in the early to mid-fifties and into the early sixties.

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Comments Leave a comment on this story.

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Eugene Seber July 3, 2014 5:48 am (Pacific time)

Joyful to become here

Tosh Plumlee June 12, 2012 12:29 pm (Pacific time)

It's been a year since Tim King's article. The events this past year has confirmed the ongoing events in reference to FnF and other matters concerning gun running to Mexico. It appears Tim King and Salem-news.com were gifted with psychic powers .., a kind of look into the future. Also, I do not respond to blind comments or ANNO comments on forums or publication. If you believe in what you say or feel, then stand behind your comments and come out public... then I will consider answering your questions, perhaps in detail....Salem-news.com and NARCO NEWS were the first to publish thwe events that led up to Fast and Furious... do a little research in place of theorizing and you annos out there might really learn something. such as Facts.

Editor: It's because you are there to help us Tosh, it's because they don't know what to do with an honest man in the ranks... We greatly appreciate working with you and look forward to more!

Plumlee September 12, 2011 12:31 pm (Pacific time)

No CIA here... WAS CIA THERE... Investigate the information and not the source. I have no AX to grind against the CIA or my government. I am an American citizen and I protect my Constitution the best I know how I have always been on that side of the coin.
It took me many years to learn many things about the Company. It took me many years to except the bad that I learned, but I tried and tried to expose this wrong... why? I have no damn Idea. There are good people and there are bad people, but overall there are damn good people working the CIA... and too, there are those others. The ones I see as "miss fits" and special political interest infiltrators who have penetrated the rank and file of the CIA., working solo for some special interest lobby group, .. weapons merchants, or a political party and its dirty tricks detail. I came forward many years ago and tried to document most of the Ops I was associated with. This was not some honorable thing I dreamed up. NO! It was for my own protection, establishing information before the fact to save my ass if the OPS went bad. I do not expect anyone to understand, nor do I care. But just investigate the wealth of information from the source or other sources that haver brought this type information forward for the general public to digest. o those who understand. Thank You... to those who don't..... research it.., and then go with your gut feeling and get involved... Our USA NEEDs YOU! Thank You Salem for sticking your neck out to cover this story.

Robert TOSH Plumlee-- EX CIA contract operative, in spite of what some may think.

Doc July 10, 2011 10:06 pm (Pacific time)

Where was this threat of arrest by the "US Border Patrol"? Don't start maligning the front line troops, they would support you. USBP is NOT part of the Justice Department, so get your facts straight...they are under the Dept of Homeland Security.

Editor: Border Patrol agents were advised at one particular point to arrest Mr. Plumlee if he crossed the border again. He is a complete ally of USBP so don't take this wrong, I hope that clears that part up. Surely you know an arrest can originate from one agency and be enforced by another, right? That is what is going on here, State doesn't send their people out to do their enforcement work, they don't have to.

Moe Hailstone July 10, 2011 1:09 am (Pacific time)

Mexico should take this to the International criminal Court at The Hague, The Netherlands.

Wildman702 June 28, 2011 11:51 am (Pacific time)

I have been married to Tosh
Plumlee's Step daughter for 30
years! I have a very close
relationship with Tosh, and I'll tell you every thing he writes is true (documented )
I stand behind everything he has said!!!!

June 26, 2011 6:23 pm (Pacific time)

Based on the sharpness of the comments from the Editor, I sometimes wonder if you are seeking MORE readership, or to alienate the readers!

Editor: Actually, and surely you understand, people who are productive and ask questions or make statements about the story, in context, get no problem from me. We are dealing with a very serious, sensitive story here and we expect discrediting attempts; we expect people to try to take the story off track, and we are way ahead of the curve and very serious about exposing the border weapons corruption and we don't care about hurting feelings. This life thing is serious to us, we value family and decency and good honest conduct, and we do have a reputation for being fairly aggressive in our approach. Perhaps you don't realize that you are visiting the only news agency in the USA that has a pretty realistic audience without ads from insurance or big pharma or any of the bogus industries that are poisoning this place. So no, I'm not worried about people being put out by our attitude. However I also don't think this is as simple as you might see it to be. At any rate, thanks for your thoughts and suggestions..

Semper Fi

ANON June 26, 2011 2:16 pm (Pacific time)

I asked two question of Mr. Plumlee. The questions were above board and direct. I would appreciate hearing from him. And I would appreciate your taking your rhetoric down a notch. I only asked questions. Given the circumstances of Mr. Plumlee's career, the first question would only be natural to ask. The second question was out of personal curiosity. You, however, seem to be making accusations of someone who asked questions. Keep a lid on it. It doesn't look too good, Editor.

Editor: You seem to me like you're trying to stir the pot and I didn't catch any reference to the contents of the article. I am just being straight with you. I don't care how it looks, that isn't my objective. Beyond that, no problem.

ANON June 26, 2011 12:56 pm (Pacific time)

I see from Mr. Plumlee's work with the CIA that he has been involved with some rather nefarious dealings. I would like his response to this query: As it is my understanding that no one who has worked for the CIA EVER gets out, could he state for the record that he is entirely free of strings to the CIA? And does he know what has happened to Chip Tatum? I understand he was involved with Tatum and I also understand that Tatum may have now disappeared.

Editor: What is true is that some discrediting attempts have been made over the years, but considering that Tosh is one of the main sources who outed Iran/Contra, this is to be expected. Tosh can respond if he is inclined to. The important thing is that is yesterday and we are dealing with a whole different set of problems today. I will say that only a small number of people have the respect from us that Tosh does. I don't think anyone really knows where Chip Tatum is, if he is alive, or if he washed up on a Panama Beach with his face cut off. At any rate, there is no connection. Tosh can tell you about some famous agents who died over the years, like Enrique 'Kiki'. Camarena. He says he knew who Chip Tatum was many years ago.

My question to you ANON, is what part of phase of the public discrediting process do you call this opening aspect? Do the clean up crews have it all mapped out on a little chart? The truth is that some people who worked for the U.S. federal government in deep undercover roles are good moral people, Tosh is one of them. I'd hate to have had to walk in his shoes on many days but there is something about good intention that leads to a lot of power and resilience. For the record and to keep you from wasting too much time, the comments here are all approved or disapproved by living people. I have shills from organized govt. programs particularly in Israel, regularly trolling our stories and attempting to turn the comment section into a propaganda center. We don't allow that.

ANON June 24, 2011 9:10 pm (Pacific time)

It was my understanding that Mr. Plumlee is still CIA. It is a bit peculiar that he is now calling himself a "journalist."

Editor: Tosh is retired from his Govt. days and working with us now. You can find references going back for years.

COLLI June 23, 2011 8:59 pm (Pacific time)

TOSH: Hang tough Bud. Our country needs about a million more exactly like you. Isn't it amazing? Information is being disseminated to the drug cartels but withheld from U.S. citizens. When it is the lives of U.S. sons and daughters at risk and U.S. Taxpayer dollars being spend, how can our government say we don't have a "Need to know"? Hell, we not only have a need to know . . . we have a right to know! You are a good man Tosh. If only the President and Congress had your ethics, our country would be headed in the right direction.

EGEstes June 23, 2011 7:26 pm (Pacific time)

What in the hell is this world coming to? I have read about Tosh Plumlee many times. He helped with the investigation into the death of Marine Col. James Sabow; he went public about his role in the Iran-Contra affair. This is a person that the US government wants arrested? I will be making some calls over this one, I think people in important places were not apprised.

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Salem-News Photojournalist with Army Task Force 7 in Mexico threatened with arrest by U.S. Border Patrol

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