Ali Bradley and Katie Smith
10 hours ago
(new nation) — Drug cartels remain innovative in their approach to cross-border drug trafficking, creating pathways for fentanyl and other substances to enter the United States.
Coconuts, crutches, car batteries, coffee cans, and carrots all have one thing in common.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials Historic Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Crash This Week At the port of entry in Andrade, California. The stoppage revealed that over 54 pounds of fentanyl and over 32 pounds of methamphetamine were hidden in the fuel tank of a car driven by a 37-year-old US citizen.
With the help of X-rays and a K-9 team, CBP officials at the Nogales port of entry successfully blocked more than 21.6 million fentanyl pills from entering the United States this year. This includes his 269,200 fentanyl pills hidden in the vehicle’s spare tire and quarter panel.
Hiding drugs in car parts is not a new strategy for drug cartels trying to smuggle their products across borders, but it is one of the less avant-garde approaches. Coming up with locations leads to the proverbial whack-a-mole game for the border patrol.
In 2016, A large amount of marijuana was found hidden inside a shipment of fake carrotsThen, in 2020, investigators found $61 million worth of cannabis and methamphetamine in the box. lime and nopalThat same year, they discovered another $1.4 million worth of meth. shipment of green onions.
Last August, investigators took 14,000 fentanyl tablets. Inside a set of crutches.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, officers saw drugs smuggled in lollipops, furniture, and candles. increase.
Officials in Yuma County, Arizona, say 52% of drugs are seized by police at ports of entry, while 48% are only discovered after being smuggled.
However, the people tasked with moving material from point A to point B do not necessarily actively participate.
Victims of human trafficking are often used as drug traffickers, facilitating the “extreme physical abuse and mental torture” they endure. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). People forced to act as mules risk serious injury by swallowing drug-filled balloons and hiding them inside their bodies.
“Stomach acid sometimes causes balloons to burst and death is very quick.” In a 2012 report, UNODC wrote:.
Officials operating along the border say law enforcement wins if they stop the drug-smuggling attempt, but that doesn’t mean the cartel loses.
“Like any other large corporation in this country, they have acceptable loss margins for damaged property, damaged goods and stolen goods. Cartels are no exception.” And I’ve heard that their acceptable loss margin is around 17-20%.”
In the last three days, CBP agents seized seven drugs that drug traffickers were trying to smuggle into the United States, Humphries said.
Nearly 600,000 (597,640 to be exact) fentanyl tablets were found. In addition to the traditional method of concealing drugs in vehicles, smugglers also concealed or tied drugs to the body.
“Every time I look back, I seem to find new ways to hide,” said Humphries.
NewsNation producer Stephen Joachim contributed to this report.
