Cochise County, Arizona — A 12-year-old boy was caught and detained while transporting migrants picked up at the border, according to the Cochise County Sheriff’s Department.

The incident happened sometime in 2022, and lawmakers also stopped a 13-year-old couple from doing the same.

Children were scouted through social media and video games and recruited into cartel operations.there is a tendency Law enforcement reports an increase.

“We see it all the time,” said Cochise County Sheriff Mark Danells. “It is unfortunate.”

Dunnels said his agency alone had arrested 21 teens for border-related offenses between January and May 30 this year. Among them were two 15-year-olds, six 16-year-olds, and 13 17-year-olds.

Last year, 89 teenagers were arrested on suspicion of transporting migrants and drugs. Nearly all were American citizens and allegedly drove their parents’ cars. Most of the teens carried weapons.

“The majority of parents and guardians we called do not believe their children are committing international crimes in Cochise County,” the sheriff said.

Rapid cashing of loaded vehicles

As the world has evolved to use technology in everyday life, criminal organizations have changed as well.

Michael Vigil, former Director of International Affairs for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, said cartels began recruiting teens about a decade ago. The rise of the internet has broadened their reach and changed their methods of finding new workers, he added.

“Children are very susceptible because they spend so much time on the Internet,” Vigil said. “Social media allows us to communicate with a lot of people that we wouldn’t be able to do personally, and at the same time, it provides them with more money than they would normally make at a job.”

Price per migrant head transported from the border to a particular destination increased in the last few years. Now he’s gone from $1,200 to about $2,500.

According to Sheriff Dunnells, this kind of deal that gives teens an instant “vehicle to load” is a lucrative deal.

“When you look at the recruitment message, it seems like it’s easy and easy to make money,” the sheriff said. “They don’t understand the complexity of it, the violence involved, and the consequences of doing it.”

Law enforcement agencies have reported teens were recruited through video games such as Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook Marketplace, TikTok, and Grand Theft Auto.

counterattack

In the first five months of this year, Cochise County put 683 people in jail for border-related crimes, according to Sheriff Dunnells.

Of those, 630 were U.S. citizens. In 2022, 1,578 people were arrested in connection with human or drug trafficking. Of these, only 78 were born in another country.

“When you look at the numbers, in addition to the drug deaths coming into the country, we have a problem,” the sheriff said. “We should be able to do better.”

Sheriff Dunnels said that by “securing the border,” law enforcement could “fight back” criminal gangs, cause great harm to those engaged in illegal activities, and allow local and federal agencies to work together. I believe.

he supports Fighting cartels on social media law, was reintroduced earlier this year by independent Arizona Senators Kirsten Cinema and Senator James Lankford (Republican, Oklahoma). The bill would require the Department of Homeland to analyze cartels’ use of social media and establish a process for tech companies to voluntarily report cartel recruitment activities in the United States to federal, state, and local governments. .

The bipartisan bill was approved by the Homeland Security Community this week.

A new law that went into effect in Arizona last September is helping Sheriff McDonnell fight back. Arizona Revised Statue 13-2323 This makes it easier for local agencies to prosecute drivers for human trafficking if they try to hide immigrants from law enforcement officers.

The law makes smuggling a second-degree felony and mandates a prison sentence. No person convicted of this crime is eligible for a suspended sentence, parole, or pardon.

So far this year, Cochise County has indicted 180 people under the new law and 121 for failing to yield.

“Kids should be outside playing sports, staying home with their moms and dads, and playing with their siblings and friends instead of committing serious crimes in Cochise County,” Sheriff Dunnells said.

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