Free Essay - Reduction of Illegal Drugs in Transit to the US

The government of the United States is fighting a war against drug trafficking and smuggling, especially at the Mexico-US border. According to Maurer (2016, May), Government Accountability Office reported that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agencies spent a total of $5.2 billion to counter drug trafficking in five years, that is, between 2010 and 2015. Some drugs enter the United States without illegally without or with the knowledge of borders officials. The United States has a stable economy, and there is a high number of illegal drug users, which makes it the best market for illicit drugs. Drugs produced in other countries especially those that are bordering with the US, destine their drugs in this country. Among the many substances produced in different nations, the producers consume a small percentage of it while a more significant position is destined for the US because of the alternative markets in various states. The ones smuggled into this country may be lost during the supply or seized by law enforcement officials at the border while some reach the US.

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The question that is still unanswered is how these drugs enter into the United States, and yet there are government officials at the border? This question resulted in another concern which will seek to know the ways to stop this illegal business. This transit eventually affects the Americans either directly or indirectly. The challenge of determining the number of drugs that gain entry into the United States through water, air, and the road is still longstanding. The government has the estimated amount of the illicit substance which enter this country through various means which helps in determining the region that has the highest number of smugglers and the states with the highest number of consumers. This proposal will highlight multiple strategies and intervention operations that the US government should adopt to prevent and control this menace. The proposed solutions include the frequent update of border drug seizure data, enhancing data collection and reporting, and management of risks at the borders.

Changes That the Government Should Adopt to End Drug Trafficking

Regular Update of Border Seizure Data

The data available in the Drug enforcement Agencies are periodically updated occasionally, thus, making it difficult for the official to identify new smuggling techniques. An official at the entry points relies on a day to day seizure operations to those people who try to transit illegal substances into the US (Atkinson, Kress & Szechtman, 2017). The searches do not provide enough data, which helps the government to determine the regions that have many people who commit this crime. The unavailability of precise and inclusive data on illegal drugs smuggled into the US is making it difficult to curb this crime. The government should advocate for frequent update of border seizure data to help the border official to gain insight into different elements of drug trafficking. The database should have vital information such as smuggling points into the united states of America and the target markets within the US, which attract the smugglers. This information will enable the drug enforcement officials to know the number of illegal substances produced and smuggled into this country, the abusers, and how the end users access these drugs. Also, the updated data will help to formulate policies that entail the most practical implementation of counterdrug resources, which will play a critical role in reducing illegal drug transit and improve border security. If the government updates seizure data frequently, the officials will be able to locate the regions where they should intensify security and the target markets where they are likely to find the drug smugglers. The updated information will help in the formulation of strategies that the government will implement and prioritize to help in fighting against illicit drug transit into the USA. Illegal drug detection and seizure during border inspections will reflect domestically produced drugs that are transited to other countries from the US. This change will reduce this crime to a more significant extent that it is now.

Enhancing Seizure Data Collection and Reporting

Some drugs enter the United States because the data available do not provide enough information about previous drug trafficking. These data in vital in determining the routes of entry and how smugglers transit these substances into different states within the country (Foldvary, 2012). Congress has the potential to formulate policies which will enable border official to deal with this issue. The legislators who have the intention of combating drug trafficking throughout the US should allow for the consolidation and enhancement of data collection. The congress should work with the Drug Enforcement Agencies to ensure that the seizure data on drugs is available at the border and in the interior parts of the country. Illegal substances are transited from other countries through the boundary, while some are locally produced in the country. The federal government should make these data available and ensure the data is comprehensive and captures all the information that is necessary for combating this crime. The legislator will consult GAO and ask them to conduct researches on drug trafficking, which will help the border security team and interior agencies to have full information on the smugglers' operations both in and outside the country. The congress will direct the DEA to enhance outreach to local and state agencies to encourage them to give in these data regularly. Enhanced information on drug trafficking and seizure from the border will enable the agencies to know how drugs enter the country. This knowledge will help to combat this menace.

Border Risk Management Operation

There is inadequate risk management at the border. Inappropriate management has enabled the smuggles to gain entry into the country quickly (Friesendorf, 2007). The Department of Homeland Security will have to use the risk management approach in the identification, communication, and analysis of border threats. These threats especially drug trafficking, continue to evolve daily, and they entail those that pose risks to Americans. Understanding the risks the Americans exposed to by smugglers will make the officials evaluate the chances of drug entry into the US. The frequency of drug smuggling is still unknown, which makes the Drug Enforcement Agencies depend on a combination of intelligence operations and drug seizure to come up with solutions. The management should also focus on the future flow of drugs through the combination of knowledge and the previous markets for these drugs. Eventually, Congress will interrogate the border agencies about the flow of drugs and relevant data to evaluate the threats associated with drug trafficking and allocate enough resources to counter these operations. Evaluation of Drug trafficking-related Strategies

The government of the United States has many strategies that aim at reducing drug trafficking and smuggling into and within the states, but they are not practical due to infrequent assessment (Martinez Valenzuela, 2013). The evaluation of available date will help the enforcement agencies and border security teams towards combating this offense. The congress should always advocate for strategies that will build a healthier, reliable, and drug-free nation by reducing the access and availability of these substances in the United States. The drug trafficking-related strategies will significantly reduce the number of drugs that are available in the country through various preventive measures such as the prohibition of its production outside the US. This approach should also disrupt the internet sale of these substances and stop from entering the US through express courier and mail. These strategies will significantly reduce the production and distribution of plant-based and synthetic drugs, especially at the borders and other ports of entry and exit. Besides, data and intelligence on about how the drugs flow, and seizure will inform whether there are other factors which can influence how this strategy works. These strategies will attempt to investigate how drugs arrive at the border and eventually into the country.

Illegal drug transit into the USA is a significant issue that makes every American leader concerned. There are so many problems associated with this crime that require practical interventions. The Drug Enforcement Agencies come up with strategies frequently in an attempt to ensure that the USA is a drug-free country. Nevertheless, these approaches are inadequate, which is why more intervention strategies are necessary. Methods of transiting illicit substances by the smugglers evolve every day, which makes the previous prevention methods ineffective. This proposal will address most of these issues; therefore, making America a drug-free country.

References

Atkinson, M. P., Kress, M., & Szechtman, R. (2017). Maritime transportation of illegal drugs from South America. International Journal of Drug Policy, 39, 43-51.

Foldvary, F. E. (2012). The Foreign Economic Effect of the US War on Drugs. Or. L. Rev., 91, 1129.

Friesendorf, C. (2007). US foreign policy and the war on drugs: Displacing the cocaine and heroin industry. Routledge.

Martinez Valenzuela, C. (2013). The" War on Drugs" and the" New Strategy": Identity Constructions of the United States, US Drug Users and Mexico. Mexican law review, 5(2), 245-275.

Maurer, D. (2016, May). Office of National Drug Control Policy: Progress toward Some National Drug Control Strategy Goals, but None Have Been Fully Achieved, Statement of Diana C. Maurer, Director, Homeland Security and Justice, Testimony Before the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, US Senate. In United States. Government Accountability Office (No. GAO-16-660T). United States. Government Accountability Office.