Knight Ridder
ALTAR, Mexico -- Some towns thrive on manufacturing. Others are known for their fertile soil or tourist attractions.
In Altar there is only one industry of any visibility and consequence: immigrant smuggling.
A 60-mile drive along the back roads to the United States, this dusty town is the last stop on the line, a place to buy water, food and the accoutrement of choice for illegal desert crossers - a backpack.
"Altar is just like a big Wal-Mart for smugglers," said Sean King, spokesman for the Tucson, Ariz., sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, which apprehends many of those who head north from Altar. "They've got booths set up for backpacks that are pre-packed with toilet paper ... shoes that are better to walk in than some of the huaraches they might be wearing - everything you need to come across the border."
Posted by Richard at May 17, 2006