Guard aviators patrolling southwest border

SANDSTON, VA. — Virginia National Guard aviators are helping battle illegal immigration along the U.S. southwest border.

A four-person crew based in Sandston departed for Texas aboard a helicopter Monday. The crew will provide aerial reconnaissance support to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. About 15 Virginia Guard soldiers will rotate through Texas over the next two months.

Virginia Guard personnel provided similar support last year, flying 627 mission hours from late August until early December. During that time, more than 1,800 people were apprehended and more than 1,500 pounds of narcotics — with an estimated street value exceeding $1.25 million —was seized.