Traffickers Of Illegal Drugs example essay topic

14 April 2002 METHODS OF TRAFFICKING AND COUNTERS Many people choose to try and make fortunes through the illegal trade of drugs. This type of business gives the highest return of dollars spent, but is one of the hardest products to ship. There are many techniques that have been used throughout the years in order to try and get the illegal substances into the United States, which leads to the government's response to counter the illegal transshipments. Although the War on Drugs appears to be a futile effort, there are many ways to tighten down on the drug traffickers and successfully put them out of business utilizing government tactics and education. The main ways to ship illegal substances into the United States are by individual carry or by vehicle (land, sea, or air).

The farmer or the manufacturers rarely ever attempt these methods, but instead utilize a third person to assume the risk for the transaction from supplier to the individuals seeking to either use or distribute the product. These individuals are called drug traffickers or "mules", and the job does not discriminate between age, sex, or race. One of the most disgusting examples of a trafficker is when a child is involved. Neither the manufacturer nor the supplier seem to mind if a child is carrying the same drugs that will soon infect the neighborhood's playground. "A twelve-year-old boy, acting as a drug mule, became ill after trying to transport 87 heroin-filled condoms from London to New York.

Upon arrival, the boy exited the airport, hailed a cab to drop off the drugs, and found the drop-off empty, the boy then became ill and started passing the heroin bags" (Stars & Stripes, 10). The fact that a young boy was used to transport drugs is appalling, but worse is that this article was not front-page news, or even second or third. The United States has become so accustomed to these types of tragedies, which has brought a sense of numbness to the activities. In order to counter the use of young children's involvement in the drug trade, citizens have to realize the importance of keeping the children out of the newspaper.

Every child in the United States has a parental figure that has been tasked with the responsibility of teaching that child right from wrong. When events occur to demonstrate that obviously this has not happened, the child should not be punished. It is the parental figures' responsibility to ensure proper behavior, and the punishment should fall onto that person's shoulders. This will force parents to take a more active interest into their children's activities. Many other types of methods are utilized on the ground to transport drugs into the United States through the borders.

Although every road that leads into America's soil has a port of entry and checkpoints, there are still traffickers that attempt to get pass the security and get the product to the destination. The majority of these traffickers are female and not all of them are caught. The most common method used to transport on the ground is in an automobile with the hopes that the border guard will not inspect the vehicle. The Mexican border has become a conduit for illegal transportation into the United States from South America (Clawson, 22).

The convenience and location are the reasons that traffickers seeking to get the illegal substance to America utilize this border. With such a large border it has become impossible to physically man every mile, but one way to keep a watchful eye on the activities is to employ un-manned aerial vehicles (UAVs). UAVs have been utilized by the Department of Defense for years and have the capability to cover more ground than an actual on-foot boarder patrol. These machines also will not put the actual patrol in danger during observation missions.

The final type of travel a trafficker uses is by way of the vast ocean to gain access to more northern ports away from the borders. This type of travel has already been recognized and is currently being tracked by United States Coast Guard. The ships that are commonly carrying illegal substances are coming from the areas of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands (National Drug Control, 36). The Coast Guard has one of the hardest jobs in the War on Drugs, because everyday thousands of legitimate transporters arrive at the shipyards of America. In order to counter the illegal shipments, a stronger emphasis should be placed on inspecting the cargo of ships from the Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands area. The most important way to fight the War on Drugs is through education.

Most American citizens, when given all the information, want to make the right thing choice in order to protect the family and nation. The education process should include home prevention, neighborhood observation, and what to do when an illegal activity is observed. In order to fight the War on Drugs, the focal point should be directed toward every household. It is not possible to predict where or who will fall victim to experimental or habitual illegal drug use.

From the mansions to the trailer parks, there is not a home that is totally safe from the influences of the drug trade. The family unit should be responsible not only to "police its own", but to ensure that proper mentoring and guidance is provided to the members of the house. Through education the parental figures will receive the knowledge to be well informed in order to attack any influences. The school-aged children of America should receive a thorough education as well.

The rules of observation should not stop at the doorstep of the home. Every citizen, young and old, on every block should be aware of what is going on with the neighbors next door or down the street. The best way to police a neighborhood is to have everyone within the area pay attention to what is going on around them. The education process should also include the actions to be taken in case any type of activity is suspected to be illegal. The most important part of educating citizens is to give proper procedures to follow in the event that law enforcement needs to be notified. At no time should a citizen get involved in actually stopping the drug activity, but that person should know what to do in the case that an illegal activity is observed.

The drug trade attracts many people with the lure of quick money and extravagant lifestyles. The truth of the seedy world of drugs needs to be exposed in order to totally confront the War on Drugs. The tactics that are used to fight against the traffickers of illegal drugs will not win the war alone. In order to defeat the drug lords and win the War on Drugs, every citizen of the United States must be enlisted.

Although the War on Drugs appears to be a fruitless attempt, the road to success is paved with stronger government actions and better citizen support accomplished through education.

Bibliography

Clawson, Patrick. THE ANDEAN COCAINE INDUSTRY. New York, NY: Saint Martin's, 1996.
NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL STRATEGY, 1997.
Washington, DC: Office Of National Drug Control Policy, Executive Office of the President, 1997.
STARS AND STRIPES. "Boy, 12, Swallows 87 Heroin-Filled Condoms" Vol 60, No 360; 14 April 2002.