US Report on Alternative Drug Smuggling Tactics Undermines Border Wall Logic
A new US government report on lesser-used drug trafficking techniques such as tunnels and ultralight aircraft further undermines claims that building a border wall will halt the flow of illegal drugs into the country.
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released May 1 analyses the extent of several lesser-used drug smuggling methods that have arisen in response to increased security on overland routes, and it assesses the efficacy of attempts to combat them.
The study focuses on underground tunnels, ultralight aircraft and maritime smuggling using open-hulled "panga" boats and recreational vessels.
Analyzing data from 2011 to 2016 from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the GAO identified a total of 67 cross-border tunnels, 534 ultralight aircraft incursions and 309 incidents involving panga or recreational boats during that period.
However, the report notes, the data suggests a general decline in the use of these tactics over that timeframe. For example, the number of tunnels discovered by DHS dropped by half, from 18 in 2011 to just nine in 2016. (See GAO graphic below)
http://www.insightcrime.org/component/content/article?id=8801:us-report-on-alternative-drug-smuggling-tactics-undermines-border-wall-logic