Mexican drug cartels are using an ingenious method of smuggling drugs into the US: underground tunnels equipped with rail and cart systems. This sophisticated operation poses a significant challenge for the Trump administration and highlights the ongoing struggle to curb the flow of illegal narcotics.
Mexican drug cartels have devised an ingenious method to smuggle drugs into the United States: they've equipped dozens of tunnels with rail and cart systems, creating an intricate underground network that defies traditional detection methods. This sophisticated smuggling operation poses a significant challenge for the Trump administration, which has pledged to stem the flow of illegal narcotics into the country. According to the U.S.
Drug and Enforcement Agency (DEA), the majority of illicit drugs entering the U.S. are transported via vehicles at southern border entry points. However, a considerable amount also finds its way across the border through clandestine tunnels and subterranean passageways. President Donald Trump has repeatedly emphasized his commitment to curtailing the influx of illegal drugs, implementing a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico as a measure to deter smuggling. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports a grim reality: an estimated 107,941 people in the U.S. died from drug-involved overdoses in 2022.The DEA, in collaboration with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), actively combats this underground threat by blowing up drug trafficking tunnels to render them impassable. However, former DEA Senior Special Agent Michael Brown, who now serves as the global director of counter-narcotics technology at Rigaku Analytical Devices, stresses the urgency for intensified investigations into these subterranean networks. He warns that cartels often employ elaborate 'cover-ups' to conceal tunnel entrances and exits. These disguises can range from seemingly innocuous storefronts or warehouses to cleverly concealed access points, making it difficult to detect their true purpose. 'They (the cartels) move hundreds of kilos out and build a warehouse over the tunnel and call it Joe's Pizza shop or Jose's mechanic shop,' Brown explains. 'It's hard to identify that in Eagle Pass or Brownsville.'Brown emphasizes the importance of identifying sources within these organizations to uncover the tunnels' locations and potential U.S. connections. Instead of relying solely on traditional investigative methods, he suggests offering rewards for information, potentially incentivizing individuals within the cartels to divulge crucial details. He points out that while border crossings have significantly decreased since Trump's return to the White House, the tunnels remain a persistent threat. Brown draws parallels to the use of tunnels during historical conflicts, highlighting the Vietnam War and Hamas' intricate network of tunnels in Gaza. 'Cartels have more money than Hamas,' Brown observes. 'And, you know, it took hundreds of millions of dollars in aid money to build those tunnels. Well, the cartels have billions of dollars.' He describes these tunnels as more than simple underground holes; they are complex 'underground cities' equipped with air ducts, office spaces, weapon caches, and even railway tracks, showcasing the cartels' advanced capabilities. While Brown acknowledges that the U.S. is unlikely to employ the same tactics as the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in destroying these tunnels, he suggests that a heightened sense of urgency might necessitate a more aggressive approach if the drug crisis escalates to a similar level of severity as the threat Israel faces.
DRUG TRAFFICKING TUNNELS BORDER SECURITY MEXICO UNITED STATES Cartels
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