A fence topped with razor wire separates the U.S. from Mexico in Nogales. some also depend on American citizens to smuggle fentanyl across the border. relatively constant compared with those of previous years. the United States across the U.S.-Canada border. KERLIKOWSKE: Those drugs. "I shone a light on them [and] it was two people swimming across the harbour in what looked like diving gear," the port worker said. (SOUNDBITE OF MIRAA MAY SONG, "INTERNET TROLLS"). traffickers to take advantage of commercial maritime vessels as a smuggling conveyance Meth seizures by CBP's field offices were not tracked until 2015, and a gram of fentanyl is worth far more than a gram of marijuana, making the pounds seized less indicative of the magnitude of the seizure. Welcome, professor Gates. This increase in Southwest Border heroin seizures coincides with Nonetheless, And I believe the administration is working on that. An additional 287,000 pounds of drugs were found by CBP's Air and Marine Operations arm, agents who detect smuggling operations oftentimes far south of the border in an effort to stop traffickers with large loads in international waters that later are broken down into smaller batches. But the first question we're going to try to answer is about illegal drugs and how they get into the country. Their country has a significant drug issue, too. WALLACE: There's a pretty long history of using different stereotypes and different negative framing of immigrants that have sometimes distorted facts intentionally. to record levels in 2008. At that dosage, a pound of the drug could be enough to kill 227,000 people. The use of SPSSs affords methamphetamine, marijuana, and MDMA was less than for any other conveyance. "We physically recovered over 6,800kg of cocaine from the vessel, but there was also an estimated additional 1,200kg on board the vessel. "If you think about the way drug policy has operated in the world and especially in Mexico, we have created an evolutionary environment where only the most ruthless, violent and sophisticated organisations can survive. traffickers the ability to covertly transport large quantities of drugs. What we've been shown reveals a deadly game of cat and mouse, driven by an explosion of coca production, record levels of consumption and the potential for huge profits. illicit drugs within the United States and, to a much lesser extent, use Si vous ne souhaitez pas que nos partenaires et nousmmes utilisions des cookies et vos donnes personnelles pour ces motifs supplmentaires, cliquez sur Refuser tout. They help with other types of crime. Soon, the camera reveals a muddy-floored cocaine laboratory in the jungle. terrain between POEs. Traffickers also have increasingly used self-propelled Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. What - why is it that we don't hear more about that? by Caribbean and South American traffickers are intercepted by U.S. authorities Traffickers often hide drugs among legitimate cargo in maritime Smaller amounts of heroin, typically 2 kilograms or less, are occasionally Types of Detox Programs and Addiction Treatment Options, Inpatient Rehabilitation and Addiction Treatment Programs Near Me, Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Treatment. Someone, somewhere, still wonders about each one. Much of the illicit fentanyl in the U.S. today is in the form of fentanyl analogues, substances that have a lab-altered chemical structure created to skirt federal law enforcement. National Drug Intelligence Center Afghanistan, one of the worlds largest producers of heroin and methamphetamine most of it smuggled abroad is home to nearly 4 million drugs users, or close to 10 per cent of the total population according to the UN.. WebMore than 156,000 pounds of meth were blocked, followed by 42,645 pounds of cocaine, 5,222 pounds of heroin, and 3,967 pounds of fentanyl. DeSantis, a 2024 GOP presidential contender, visited the southern border, where he spoke with local residents and law enforcement dealing with drug smuggling and a surge of illegal immigration, to reveal his security plan he would implement should he be elected president.During his visit, DeSantis revealed that border authorities should drop We have 10 states that have legalized it and the District of Columbia. All rights reserved. The worsening crisis has left most of the countrys drug treatment and rehabilitation centers struggling to cope.. A Why is our country any different? These Border Force is on the front line of Australia's battle with cocaine syndicates. Border Patrol agents seized more than 98,000 pounds of drugs in fiscal year 2022, and roughly 47,000 pounds of drugs between October 2022 and May, according to federal data. eight principal corridors to the major drug markets within the United States. This classification requires the most stringent controls on the handling of these substances, as well as highest criminal penalties for violations. DTOs have well-established transportation networks and often transport They use social media both to recruit people and communicate with each other. "The cartels are very innovative. Significantly lesser quantities of drugs are smuggled directly into the United Cartels are constantly finding new and innovative ways to smuggle not only illegal immigrants, but and marijuana produced in California or Mexico to major market areas in western, routes. WebAfghanistan, one of the worlds largest producers of heroin and methamphetamine most of it smuggled abroad is home to nearly 4 million drugs users, or close to 10 per cent of The ones that are not as sophisticated just get weeded out, either because the government or a competitor overpowers them. They were expelled from Fiji on June 8, and arrested by the DEA. But our ports of entry need improvements. A review of the smuggling patterns for each of the major drug types reveals myriad from South America to Mexico. So anyone could just jump this wire fence here or easily cut the bolt here on the gate. They were charged in April along with three sons of former drug lord Joaqun "El Chapo'' Guzmn, accused of orchestrating a transnational fentanyl trafficking operation into the United States. In our poll, 6 out of 10 Republicans did, too. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. In comparison, only Corridor A, Interstate 10 as well as Interstates 8 and 20 are among those most used Analysis of commercial maritime seizure some of these maritime smugglers shifted their operations in 2008 and 2009 in response And what, if anything, can be done to stop it? Around 20 to 25% of cocaine around the globe is interdicted. Kevin Kelly, the special agent in charge of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo field office, told ABC News that the uptick is due in part to the legalization of marijuana in Canada this year. MARTIN: That is Gil Kerlikowske. container ships, cruise ships, commercial fishing vessels, recreation vessels, The DEA says that a deadly dose of fentanyl is small enough to fit on the tip of a pencil. Two milligrams of the drug can be lethal to a person, depending on their tolerance level and body size. Some smuggling routes and methods for transporting cocaine, heroin, and trailers near primary points of entry into the United States for consolidation, A recent report from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said that drug overdoses kill more people in the US than car accidents or guns. into the country overland across the borders with Mexico and, to a much lesser extent, VideoThe endangered languages that are fighting back, When Miss World in India threatened 'cultural apocalypse', Belarus leader welcomes Wagner boss into exile. Source: National Seizure System. being transported from South America to Mexico and ultimately to the Southwest Border. WebAbout two million pounds of illegal drugs were seized by Customs and Border Protection last year, records showed. It was a scene out of Beverly Hills Cop," Vince says of the fall. And if that doesn't work, we're going to close the border. Some PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: If the drugs don't stop - Mexico can stop them if they want - we're going to tariff the cars. According to the indictment from the Southern District of New York, company executives marketed their products to fentanyl manufacturers in Mexico, writing "Mexico hot sale" online and guaranteeing "100% stealth" international shipments. Zone area (within 150 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border). Tens of thousands are kidnapped, abused and extorted by drug cartels running the smuggling routes just exceeded 1,626 metric tons, indicating that DTOs succeed in moving several thousand There are white jerry cans and huge blue tubs filled with white liquid scattered everywhere. Meanwhile, production estimates They used a pulley system to pull the narcotics up into the warehouse. ET. than any other cities as major points of both origination12 In fiscal year 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 10,586 pounds of fentanyl at the southern border, more than double the amount seized in FY 2020. seized from commercial maritime vessels remains less than 1 percent (6,015 kg of Investigators allege such procedures allowed for the temporary alteration of the chemical makeup of the substances to avoid detection during the transport process. annually. that overland smuggling and subsequent transportation by vehicle exceed all other The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Furthermore, Mexican DTOs have become increasingly involved WebU.S. But today, you're horrified to discover it isn't where you parked it the night before. KERLIKOWSKE: Well, you know, the optics of looking at a conveyor belt with a bunch of packages coming versus the videos and the optics of what the border looks like and people being apprehended at the border, trucks being stopped, vehicle chases where someone's involved in smuggling - quite frankly, that seems to attract more attention than a conveyor belt in one of those international mail facilities. WebVienna, 26 June 2023: Continued record illicit drug supply and increasingly agile trafficking networks are compounding intersecting global crises and challenging health services and Border Force commander Mal Nimmo says Australia has a "high demand" for drugs. February 13, 2022 at 12:49 p.m. EST Vehicles waiting to cross into the United States from Mexico at Laredo in January. through Corridor B, and seizures on these interstates accounted for 46 percent of South America in 2007 may have initiated the trend. Cartels play an increasing role in the surge of migrants fueling the most recent immigration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. "I don't think anybody pretends that we check every container," Mal says. "I know it's normal to be cautious before embarking on a new partnership. What losses did Russia suffer in the Wagner revolt? States. The Buffalo CBP office said it has seized over 260 pounds of counterfeit prescription drugs such as Xanax. and enhanced GOM counterdrug efforts--likely contributed to the decrease in amounts And law enforcement there is battling, cocaine lab by cocaine lab, to stem the flow of the drug beyond their border. According to the Justice Department, the indictments were the first ever levied by federal prosecutors against companies in the People's Republic of China related to the creation and delivery of the ingredients that make up fentanyl. Vienna, 26 June 2023: Continued record illicit drug supply and increasingly agile trafficking networks are compounding intersecting global crises and challenging health services and law enforcement responses, according to the World Drug Report 2023 launched by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) today. Border Force uses a mix of old and new technology to check containers for cocaine. CBP officials worry that Americans may accidentally buy and ingest these fake pills, leading to serious harm. WebDuring the 1980s, small, private airplanes loaded with cocaine or marijuana became notorious for wave-hopping over the Gulf of Mexico or cactus-dodging as they flew to avoid law enforcement scrutiny along the Southwest Border. couriers and cargo shipments on aircraft, buses, and trains. More than half of Republicans say - incorrectly - that immigrants are more likely to use public benefits than the native-born population, even though many immigrants don't actually qualify for most federal benefits. With every investigation, with every indictment, we are coming after you," Milgram said. decline in cocaine availability in many markets in the United States. Former undercover detective Vince Hurley still won't share the alias he used while infiltrating cocaine trafficking rings. 7 percent of all reported interstate heroin seizures occurred on these routes. Drug Transportation WALLACE: Regardless of whether there actually is an empirical connection between immigration and immigrants and those problems. That's millions of containers. During his undercover years investigating cocaine trafficking, Vince spent time here and at other ports around Australia. to supply their much smaller U.S. distribution networks. *Estimated figure for 2007 based on partial data 6 percent of cocaine seizures, and less than 1 percent each of methamphetamine and A new NPR/Ipsos poll shows that big numbers of Americans believe incorrectly that "most" of the fentanyl entering the U.S. is smuggled by migrants. "It's a large concern and to see the brazen attempts of the amount that [criminals] try and send in, when they do send it, it just means [criminals] will not stop doing it," Bowker explained. "This particular tunnel was over 600 metres long at 40 feet under the surface. It granted Background Briefing a behind-the-scenes tour of Port Botany to show us what its efforts look like and the sheer scale of what it's up against. Puerto Rico. The checkpoints are meant to stop human, drug, and contraband smuggling that went undetected initially crossing the border. More than 156,000 pounds of meth were blocked, followed by 42,645 pounds of cocaine, 5,222 pounds of heroin, and 3,967 pounds of fentanyl. Such shifts were observed in 2008 and 2009. ROSE: So the correct answer to our question is false. Lorsque vous utilisez nos sites et applications, nous utilisons des, authentifier les utilisateurs, appliquer des mesures de scurit, empcher les spams et les abus; et. themselves to distribution areas. Blocking Colombian cocaine a cat and mouse game for Australian police, border force, Inside the cat-and-mouse game between cops and cartels to keep cocaine out of Australia. Mr. Kerlikowske, thanks so much for talking to us. totals remain lower than the seizure totals recorded before the significant decline It startedin the 1960s with farmers in Colombia banding together to fight inequality. So, instead of netting quick cash, Pimentel and Dallas resident Tomas Amarvel employees ultimately shipped 200 kilograms of fentanyl precursors to the U.S. over an eight-month period, investigators said. making them very difficult to detect visually. MANJARREZ: When you look at the chaos and clutter that occurs at a port of entry, just with the legitimate traffic - you know, trucks and personal vehicles - and so if you're looking at a couple of pounds of fentanyl hidden in that chaos - you know, if you're the bad guy, you kind of like your odds. The crisis that has seen millions of people illegally trying to cross our southern border has also included a dramatic increase in the flow of illegal drugs at the border. Copyright 2022 NPR. And he's with us now. Copyright 2019 NPR. preferred by smugglers. 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. To control the authorities you use what in Mexico is called 'the law of silver or lead'; meaning if you're the local authority, do you want to earn a lot of money? and compartmentalizing trafficking operations. Indictments unsealed out of the Eastern District of New York reveal other charged companies including Anhui Rencheng Technology Co. and Hefei GSK Trade Co. Ltd worked to hide the fentanyl ingredients they were shipping by applying "masking molecules" to the batches. reported to have been seized from private vessels arriving in southern California, The individuals targeted in April were apparently business competitors of the newly charged defendants, court filings said. confirms that Caribbean and South American traffickers are more likely than Mexican And before that, he ran the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. However, due to its strong opioid properties, the drug has a high potential for misuse and addiction. Mexican DTOs dominate the transportation of illicit drugs across the Border Force's jurisdiction ends at ports like these but the shipping containers go out into the community, and sometimes the drugs with them. "If we don't take a structural and complete approach, then they're always going to be ahead of us - we're just never going to catch up.". Last year, a Brazilian diver died while trying to retrieve around 50 kilograms of cocaine attached to the hull of an Argentinian ship docked at Port of Newcastle. Southwest Border Area and Commercial Air POEs, in Kilograms, 2004-2009*. "Later that day, I realised something big was going down," he said. lesser amounts of heroin and MDMA, sometimes commingled with cocaine loads. Black-market fentanyl is mixed with other drugs like heroin or OxyContin. greater quantities of heroin being transported across the Southwest Border. Figure 2. Figure 3. "Compare that to sending four guys across with 30 pounds of marijuana on their backs, who have to navigate the mountains, evade Border Patrols and arrange delivery, and you can see the difference in profit. But experts say that's not an accurate picture. in 2009 to smuggle marijuana from the northern Mexico state of Baja California to Airport where it was being watched WebThe plan was for the drugs to be divided up in Mexico and sent across the border, largely on semi trucks destined for several U.S. cities. And there are the "hull attachments", which Vince Hurley said was a problem at Newcastle. that most likely have been caused by a combination of factors, particularly decreased all reported methamphetamine seizures and 31 percent of all marijuana seizures on Number two, they don't really trust those people to do that. From January through November 2009, U.S. seizures of illegal drugs in transit ( ABC: Jack Fisher ) As a drug dog unit boards a cargo ship to search for cocaine, he shares an alarming statistic. Si vous souhaitez personnaliser vos choix, cliquez sur Grer les paramtres de confidentialit. Prosecutors allege in charging documents that Amarvel Biotech executives and employees acknowledged the illegality of their products, made deceptive shipping labels and ads and utilized a network of contacts and warehouses across Mexico and the U.S. "With my international and area agency coalition, I have more situational awareness of the movement of drugs than I have operational assets. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. Authorities associate these deaths with the increase in illegally produced fentanyl. ROSE: Notice how Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida jumps quickly from the record number of migrant arrests at the southern border to fentanyl overdose deaths. [1] The global figure is likely to be much higher. ( ABC: Jack Fisher ) As a drug dog unit boards a cargo ship to search for cocaine, he shares an alarming statistic. States by traffickers using maritime conveyances than by traffickers using overland ), Figure 3. Airport where it was being watched by one of nation's few specialists targeting "narco planes" used for drug smuggling. He knows both the border and the problem of illegal drug trafficking well because he was director of U.S. Customs and Border Protection from 2014 to 2017. seized along the Southwest Border in the South Texas region--the predominant cocaine Commercial maritime vessels, especially maritime containers, "The cartels are always looking for a guaranteed way to cross narcotics into the US, and a sophisticated tunnel can allow them to cross large-scale loads. Wagner's network in Africa faces uncertain future, How one temple feeds 100,000 people a day. Labor in a prison-like factory. factors. What's left for the crew - generally four people - is very cramped, maybe the size of a bed. The agency said there was a 31% increase in overdose deaths between March 2020 and March 2021, the latest month for which it has released data. That would go a long way at stopping because fentanyl, just a small amount of fentanyl, can turn a huge profit. continues to account for a relatively small portion of the nation's illicit drug They are also beyond the purview of Border Force. Most of the fentanyl entering the country is not smuggled in by migrants. Additionally, bulk quantities of illicit New data put the global Privately owned shipping container yards like this are often unremarkable. Thousands of ships like this enter Australia every year. methamphetamine, and marijuana into the United States appear to have shifted, in The Inquiry is broadcast on the BBC World Service on Tuesdays from 12:05 GMT. Figure 7 in Cocaine section) As a drug dog unit boards a cargo ship to search for cocaine, he shares an alarming statistic. Seizure data for 2009 show that the amount of cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine from the Southwest Border to of South Florida between Miami and Palm Beach. But remember, marijuana seizures along the border have gone down consistently over the years. Upon receipt, the companies allegedly provide their customers with instructions for unmasking the chemicals to then process into fentanyl. Dcouvrez comment nous utilisons vos donnes personnelles dans notre Politique de confidentialit et notre Politique relative aux cookies. WebDuring the 2021 fiscal year, agents have found 41 pounds so far a dramatic rise that experts attribute to the increasing role in drug cartels producing the illicit drug And we need better technology to detect fentanyl coming in. Heroin Seizures at Last year we were able to successfully take out of the pipeline 191 metric tonnes of cocaine. 2023 BBC. At the ports of entry and field offices, marijuana made up the biggest amount of narcotics Border Patrol found at 324,973 of the 763,192 pounds. by drug couriers, as evidenced by drug seizure data showing that from 2008 through to transport cocaine from South America to Mexico. commingled with legitimate goods, or couriered by passenger or crew members Within This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. Doctors prescribe the drug to help cancer patients who have developed a tolerance to other narcotic drugs. MARTIN: And finally, I am curious, though - if the mail is such an obvious place where illegal drug trafficking is happening, why is there so much public discussion about the border as opposed to the mail? WebAccording to the Justice Department, between August 2021 and August 2022, 107,735 people died of drug overdoses in the United States, two-thirds from fentanyl. To Top rather than conducting their own air courier smuggling operations. Caribbean It is the number-one cause of death for American It's in bulk. There is a lot of money to be made on the black market and, according to Kelly, there are multiple actors carrying out the smuggling. southern California, and Mexican DTOs sometimes smuggle drugs by maritime means 12. The drugs are typically concealed in hidden compartments, It had lighting, a mechanism to circulate the air and a railway system so they could load the product in Mexico and run it down the rails to the exit point. "We've seen growing use of self-propelled semi-submersibles (SPSSs) - low-profile vessels made out of marine-grade plywood [and] fibreglass with commercial engines. Some deaths are through prescription drugs, others by cocaine or, increasingly, heroin. Methamphetamine and marijuana seizures have also increased along the Southwest The Anti-narcotics Directorate of the Colombian National Police has sent Background Briefing footage of one of their operations. In an attempt to combat these methods, Border Force is now using scuba divers and remote-operated underwater vessels to check ships coming into Australian ports. SOPHIA JORDAN WALLACE: Once it gets out there, it's hard to correct, which means we have to deal with the consequences. "The Sinaloa Federation - which is often cited as the most powerful of the Mexican organisations - is quite disciplined about not engaging in other crime, which allows them to retain good relationships with locals. that are separate from other DTO operations. According to the Justice Department, between August 2021 and August 2022, 107,735 people died of drug overdoses in the United States, two-thirds from fentanyl. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. and natural voids in the vehicles. trends, and evolving market dynamics. WebAccording to the DEA, most of the fentanyl is smuggled over land across the U.S.-Mexico border. Washington Federal prosecutors charged four China-based companies and eight Chinese nationals with allegedly supplying the precursor chemicals of fentanyl for the purpose of creating the deadly drug for distribution in the United States, the Justice Department announced Friday. My goal is to go after the priority networks who rival the capabilities of nation states. 828,223 kg) of the amount seized at the Southwest Border. In 2008, the total amount illicit drug shipments directly to drug markets throughout the United States. of Mexican DTOs in trafficking South American heroin, likely have resulted in significantly smuggling route at the time--resulted in a sharp decline in the amount of cocaine Drug couriers moving drugs through the various corridors are often destined for "And if you want stability in your territory, it's very useful to have local people on your side, or at least not openly against you. United States on commercial maritime vessels. "I was rolling around on the ground in pain. Customs and Border Protection said Wednesday it has seen a 1,000% spike in drugs seized along the northern border this year. Mal says Border Force's job is made more difficult because cocaine traffickers are getting smarter and more sophisticated with moving their product. Interstates 15, 80, 70, and 40 are the leading routes 2). extent, relying on Mexican DTOs to smuggle heroin overland into the United States Haiti, and Jamaica, into East Coast ports in Florida and New Jersey. The vast majority of cocaine washing up on Australian shores comes from one country: Colombia. "They're supplementing the binder, which is the product that holds it together, with fentanyl and other byproducts," he said. in commercial maritime vessels from Caribbean locations, such as the Dominican Republic, This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Later that same day, two Norwegian nationals were dramatically arrested in front of the NBN Television station on the harbour foreshore. Border, partly because of increased production. seizure data show that only 24 percent of heroin seizures, 15 percent of MDMA seizures, ", Photographer: Jack Fisher andGerald Bermudez. We need to knock down these cartels. Source: Federal, state, and local law enforcement data and reporting. "Looking at the vessel, there'll be about a foot sticking above the water, painted various shades of blue to blend in with the water, so it is incredibly hard to detect even a few hundred feet away from you. New data put the global estimate of people who inject drugs in 2021 at 13.2 million, 18 per cent higher than previously estimated. also use commercial vessels to smuggle cocaine from the Dominican Republic into The amount of drugs smuggled into the United States by couriers and in cargo Moreover, large quantities KERLIKOWSKE: Oh, well over 90 percent. By volume, the most frequent way cocaine enters Australia is by sea. *Data as of December 1, 2009. National Drug Threat Assessment 2010 destination and origination of drug shipments shows that seven city areas (Chicago, DTOs often employ Mexican traffickers whose successful transportation networks data for 2004 through 2009 indicates that cocaine and marijuana are most often smuggled Marijuana accounted for 165,000 pounds of the busts, while cocaine comprised 113,000 pounds. "The cocaine trade in Australia is so lucrative that it brings with it the massive risks that undermine the whole notion of the rule of law and policing within Australia. KERLIKOWSKE: Well, there are a couple things. Another 229,484 pounds of drugs described as "other" were also uncovered. Rear Admiral Christopher Tomney: Tackling the priority networks, Lt Commander Devon Brennan: No shortage of ingenuity, Eric Feldman: Tackling the cross-border tunnels, Rodrigo Canales: Don't underestimate organisational brilliance, The endangered languages that are fighting back. to law enforcement pressure or gaps in interdiction coverage. MORE: Woman arrested at airport after getting caught smuggling $40,000 of cocaine in shoes. These transporters are hired Corridors in the United States. Eric Feldman is Assistant Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations and head of the Tunnel Task Force. DEA agents conducted an undercover operation against Amarvel Biotech, a chemical manufacturing company based in the city of Wuhan in China's Hubei province. "You lived by your wits to a degree," he says. to the nearest kilogram. ROSE: Manjarrez says some fentanyl is brought in by cartels who are using migrants as a distraction, but the vast majority is smuggled through official ports of entry, hidden in cars and tractor-trailers. He was heading up Newcastle Harbour a few hours before dawnwhen he spotted a couple of unusual shapes in the water.
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