HOUSTON -- Local 2 Investigates gained unprecedented access to an elite group of state guardsmen who make up the Texas Joint Counter Drug Task Force. Over the last five years, the task force has seized billions of dollars in drugs, millions of dollars in cash and assisted with the arrest of more than 18,000 people. Yet, Local 2 discovered this group is desperate for funding and cannot answer all calls for help.

"We work in the background," said Lt. Col. Drew Daugherty. "We are a tool for law enforcement agencies. We are not out in front. We want the folks with the badges out in front."

The task force provides invaluable help to local, state and federal agencies combating drug trafficking in Texas.

One part of the task force's mission is to fly along the border in UH-72 helicopters equipped with infra-red cameras, helping spot drug smugglers and illegal immigrants crossing through desolate spots between international bridges.

Local 2 flew on one of these missions when suspected drug smugglers were spotted preparing to cross a load into Texas near Laredo. The trucks turned back when the drivers spotted the helicopters. Shortly after, pilots with the task force helped border patrol agents track a group of illegal immigrants running through thick underbrush.

The other part of the task force's work is to help law enforcement put together criminal cases against drug traffickers.

"We do case analysis where we work in the office. We also have folks out in the field doing observation, communication support and other issues," said Daugherty.

Currently, 240 state guardsmen are assigned to the task force in Texas. Daugherty said they need at least double that number to handle all the requests for help from law enforcement. These calls for help include counties where local law enforcement departments know where drugs are being smuggled, but do not have the resources to stop the traffickers.

"We are having to turn down a large number of valid requests for help," said Daugherty.

The task force's budget has not increased in almost a decade. Yet, every year Congress approves a one to four percent raise in salary for the guardsmen assigned to the task force.

"When they get a pay raise by Congress, it limits the number of personnel because the budget has been the same for the last ten years," said U.S. Rep. Ted Poe, who has been pushing his colleagues on Capitol Hill to increase funding for the task force.

Local 2 Investigates also obtained a letter signed by Governors Rick Perry, Janice Brewer, Bill Richardson and Arnold Schwarzenegger, all asking congressional leaders to provide increased funding for the National Guard Counter-Drug Program. Part of the letter reads drug trafficking organizations pose the, "most pervasive threat facing the southwest region."

On April 16, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, Gen. Craig R. McKinley sent his own letter to Arizona Sen. John McCain asking for increased funding for the program. McKinley's letter also points out Congress authorized 4,000 personnel to be assigned to the Counter-Drug Program, yet the current funding has decreased that number to fewer than 2,600.

Texas border sheriffs are also sounding the call for help.

"We need boots on the ground now," said Zapata County Sheriff, Sigifredo Gonzalez Jr..

Gonzalez has 28 deputies to patrol 60 miles of border, in addition to covering 997 square miles in the whole county. This area is particularly difficult to patrol because of the thick underbrush leading to the sprawling Falcon Lake reservoir, which serves as the border between Mexico and Texas. Gonzalez said many times drug traffickers use the lake to blend in with fishermen.

Gonzalez's deputies never patrol along the border without automatic weapons because of the increased level of aggression shown by drug smugglers.

"They're not going to relinquish their loads anymore," said Gonzalez. "They're being told, 'You better shoot it out with law enforcement.'"

Local 2 heard the same concerns from Sheriff Martin Cuellar in neighboring Webb County. Cuellar said small towns like El Cenizo and Rio Bravo are hot spots from drug smugglers coming across the Rio Grande River.

"Our response time, sometimes, I'll be honest to say may take an hour to respond to these areas," said Cuellar. "It's not because we don't want to respond. It's because we don't have the personnel."

The border sheriffs Local 2 spoke with also said the federal government's recent plans for the border does not go far enough.

In March, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced a more than $700 million plan to fight drug trafficking along the southern border. The plan provides for increased investigative resources, more agents working international border crossings, more technology as well funding to help local law enforcement agencies pay for overtime and extra equipment.

"The equipment is great, but if you don't have people who can operate it because you don't have enough personnel, it doesn't do anybody any good," said Poe.

"Overtime is great but at the same time we need more people out here to patrol," said Cuellar.

Local 2 also spoke with Texas' Director of Homeland Security, Steve McCraw, who echoed the concerns heard by Poe and border sheriffs.

"You can't investigate your way into border security," said McCraw. "You have to put boots on the border, boots on the bridges."

McCraw said Perry is still pushing the federal government to approve his request for an additional 1,000 National Guard troops to be sent to the border.

"We've already identified the locations and have a deployment plan ready to go," said McCraw. "Indictments, convictions, arrests, seizures, all those things may be statistically satisfying, but it doesn't seal the border."

At Perry's request last session, the state legislature approved spending $110 million for border security.

This session Perry is requesting an additional $135 million.